Nottingham Business School
BAB (Core) and BABM (Opt) Final Year 2020/21
Strategic Marketing (MKTG32820)
Assignment brief: individual marketing audit & report (100% weighting)
Introduction
For this assignment you are required to adopt the role of a marketing consultant hired to conduct a marketing audit and identify and justify a strategic option for a ‘client’ (see below).
The marketing audit (presented in full in the Appendices of the report) will help clarify the client’s current competitive position. It will also help you to critically evaluate the current marketing strategy for one of the company’s major product or service categories.
The associated report should be grounded in the audit and its findings (and your work in developing it). It will identify the role and value of a/the marketing audit (in the context of the wider strategic marketing management process) and, following this, it will document and interpret the key findings from the audit leading to the identification, and justification, of the way forward (from a strategic marketing perspective) for the organisation when it comes to the identified major product or service category area.
As a guide, the organisation should be chosen from one of the following industries:-
| Pharmaceuticals | Holiday/travel | Automotive |
| Financial services | Manufacturing industry | Education/training |
| Advertising | Leisure | Media |
| Oil, gas, electricity | Technology | Telecommunications |
The organisation that you choose can operate globally, regionally or nationally. However, in making your choice, the thing to ensure is that sufficient material will be available from reliable secondary data sources such as the Financial Times and MINTEL to help you conduct a comprehensive marketing audit.
If your chosen organisation is not from within one of the above industries – please discuss this with the Module Leader. Either way, given the respective deadlines for the submission of assessments, you must identify your chosen organisation as a matter of priority (failure to identify the organisation at the start of this process will have a significant, delaying, impact on your ability to conduct and complete an appropriate Marketing Audit. The Marketing Audit playing a key and influential role in the wider report and submission).
Please note that this assignment is based on available secondary data. Direct and personal contact with your chosen organisation is strictly forbidden.
Summative task
You are required to submit your findings in the form of a 4,000 word business report plus Appendices. The format of your report may include the following areas (although you can choose to adopt an alternative structure – discuss this with the Module Leader as necessary):-
- Executive summary (approximately 200 words not included in the overall word count)
- a summary of the key findings from your report
(NB do not confuse this section with an ‘Introduction’)
- Introduction (approximately 600 words)
- short explanation of the task that you have been set
- concise background details relating to your chosen organisation that will help provide a commercial context for your marketing audit
- justification of the reasons for conducting a comprehensive marketing audit
- detail of the approach taken to conducting the marketing audit with full justification of the analytical frameworks chosen
- Key Findings – Marketing audit (approximately 1,600 words)
- the key macro-environmental factors relevant to your client
- the key micro-environmental factors relevant to your client
- the key factors deriving from a critical review of your client’s current marketing strategy and marketing capability (i.e. internal analysis)
- Strategic Choice(s) – Grounded by the Marketing audit (approximately 1000 words)
- a critical analysis and justification of way forward (from a strategic marketing perspective) for the organisation in the chosen product or service category area
- it is essential that the strategy is grounded in the outcomes of the audit, your insights to contemporary theory and your associated analysis/ critique
- Strategy Implementation and Control (approximately 500 words)
- an evaluation of, and insight to, implementation and control related the strategic marketing planning process overall and your selected strategy option
- justified examples of two tools to support implementation and control (again related to your selected strategy option)
- Conclusion (approximately 300 words)
- outline indications of how your findings might impact your client’s future strategic development
- Appendices
- material from your research which forms the core of your marketing audit (e.g. a full PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis etc.)
- the appendix material must be limited to twelve A4 sides.
Please note that the 4,000 word limit for this report is an absolute maximum. There is no safety margin of +10%. So, you need to ensure that your report contains only the most important pieces of information. This is very much an exercise in developing your ability to focus on the key issues and communicate opinions clearly and succinctly. These are valuable business skills. Please ensure you use the coursework cover sheet included in this brief and on NOW.
Submission deadline (to NOW Dropbox) for your written report is 23:00hrs on 20 August 2021. Don’t forget: your marketing audit and report will need to be submitted to the Dropbox in PDF format. This is important because it ensures that the reader will see the information laid out in exactly the way you intended it.
Module learning outcomes being assessed
This activity is designed to test the following learning outcomes:-
Knowledge and understanding. After studying this module you should be able to:
- Offer a detailed and comprehensive critique of the role of strategic marketing within an organisational context
- Demonstrate a critical awareness of the current strategic marketing activities within an organisational context
- Critically evaluate the strategic responses the marketing manager can make to the changing global marketing environment
- Demonstrate a critical awareness of how the findings from a comprehensive marketing audit will inform the process of objective setting and strategy formulation
- Critically reflect on the problems encountered in the implementation and control stages of the strategic marketing process and how these problems can be overcome
Skills, qualities and attributes. After studying this module you should be able to:
- Conduct a comprehensive and critical marketing audit that can be used to inform choice of appropriate marketing strategy
- Demonstrate an ability to synthesise and clearly articulate strategic marketing responses to complex and challenging organisational contexts
Assessment criteria
In the following pages, you will find a breakdown of the assessment criteria that will be used to judge your performance. This will give you a very clear idea about how your tutor will approach the task of assessing the written reports.
Assignment cover sheet
Following the grading matrix the assignment coversheet for this assessment is provided.
| NBS Feedback Form for Undergraduate Coursework | |||||||||
| Module: MKTG32820 Strategic Marketing | Course: BA (Hons) Business (Core) and BABM (Option) | Student Number and Name | |||||||
| Assessment Element (as stated in the assessment brief) | Element 1 Element 2 | Element 3 Element 4 | Tutor name (s) | ||||||
| Moderator name (s) | |||||||||
| Assessment submission date 20 August 2021 by 11pm | Please refer to the Module Learning Room Dropbox Folder for the date you were due to submit. | Date Feedback Uploaded | Please refer to the Dropbox folder for the date on which your feedback was uploaded. | ||||||
| MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSED | |||||||||
| Offer a detailed and comprehensive critique of the role of strategic marketing within an organisational contextDemonstrate a critical awareness of the current strategic marketing activities within an organisational contextCritically evaluate the strategic responses the marketing manager can make to the changing global marketing environment Demonstrate a critical awareness of how the findings from a comprehensive marketing audit will inform the process of objective setting and strategy formulation Critically reflect on the problems encountered in the implementation and control stages of the strategic marketing process and how these problems can be overcomeConduct a comprehensive and critical marketing audit that can be used to inform choice of appropriate marketing strategyDemonstrate an ability to synthesise and clearly articulate strategic marketing responses to complex and challenging organisational contexts | |||||||||
| Element Grade The overall grade for the work is based on a holistic assessment and is determined by how well the criteria have been met overall and not the sum of the individual aspects of the work. In the matrix below (next page), grades awarded against each criterion indicate that the relevant aspect of the work can be more readily associated with that category than any other. Allocation of a grade does not indicate that work exactly matches the associated description. | |||||||||
| Exceptional 1st | |||||||||
| 3rd High | 2.2 High | 2.1 High | 1st High | ||||||
| Mid Fail | 3rd Mid | 2.2 Mid | 2.1 Mid | 1st Mid | |||||
| Low Fail | Marginal Fail | 3rd Low | 2.2 Low | 2.1 Low | 1st Low | ||||
| If a zero grade, select the appropriate comment below: | |||||||||
| NS – No work submitted or submitted > 5 working days after deadline | NK – Work submitted and is in moderation | ||||||||
| NE – Work is not yet submitted, and student has an Extension. | NN – Student did not attend for an exam | ||||||||
| Criteria | Fail | Marginal Fail | Third | Lower Second | Upper Second | First | Exceptional First |
| Criterion 1 (10%) Demonstrate understanding of marketing audits and auditing in the context of strategic marketing | There is little or no engagement with marketing audits/ auditing and thus there is little understanding demonstrated | Basic understanding of marketing audits/ auditing is offered and demonstrated – fails to convince | Understanding of marketing audits/ auditing is adequate and this broadly underpins the subsequent analysis undertaken | Understanding is good. Insights to marketing audits/ auditing offering a solid context for the work, discussion and analysis that follows | Understanding is very good with insights to marketing audits/ auditing clearly contributing to the report context and the analysis that follows | Understanding is excellent with critical insights to marketing audits/ auditing offered. Very clearly contributes to the report context and analysis that follows | Marketing audits and auditing are explored in such a way as to offer a critical re-evaluation of the conventional wisdom |
| Criterion 2 (30%) Presentation of a comprehensive and detailed marketing audit in the Appendix | Either no structured marketing audit is presented or the marketing audit is not included at all | There is evidence of a structured marketing audit although the overall approach taken to the task is not particularly convincing | The marketing audit is complete. However, whilst it may offer a number of insights the overall response to the task is limited | A marketing audit is included and, overall, this demonstrates a solid grasp of the task/ requirements | The audit contains a very good spread of relevant information that demonstrates a very good response to the task | An excellent and comprehensive marketing audit that offers a mature and insightful response to the task | An exceptional and professional marketing audit that exceeds expectations in all respects |
| Criterion 3 (20%) Demonstration of the ability to draw out the key environmental factors from the audit and relate them to an organisational context | It is not clear that the answer relates in any substantial way to the given task | The answer is clearly associated with the given task, but only partially focusses on the key issues | The answer largely addresses the task set and provides an acceptable, albeit limited and possibly overly broad, response to the task | The answer is clearly focused on the task set and there is little doubt that key issues have been identified – the work may lack some focus needed for higher grades | A very good response to the task set that identifies key issues clearly with focus as necessary | An excellent and insightful response to the task. Insight to key issues precise, comprehensive and is of a high standard | The response is exceptionally precise and comprehensive – to the extent that it identifies new and unforeseen issues |
| Criterion 4 (20%) Demonstration of the ability to develop a coherent, consistent and comprehensive position and response based on the audit | The response is poorly organised and presented and offers little by way of insight to strategic marketing in context | There is some organisation but the response outlined lacks clarity and in the context of strategic marketing | There response proposed is acceptable and some insight to marketing strategy is offered. There is likely to be a lack of some clarity and/or focus though | A solid response is developed, drawing substantially on the evidence presented and theory as necessary. There is insight to strategic marketing as a result | A very good response is presented that is clear, concise, consistent and comprehensive. Clear insight to strategic marketing offered as a result | An excellent and persuasive response that is justified in evidence and theory. Very clear insight to strategic marketing offered as a result | The response presented is exceptional: both academically rigorous and professionally insightful |
| Criteria | Fail | Marginal Fail | Third | Lower Second | Upper Second | First | Exceptional First |
| Criterion 5 (10%) Demonstrate understanding of implementation and control in the context of the strategic response | There is little or no engagement with implementation and/ or control thus little understanding and insight demonstrated | Basic understanding of implementation and control but fails to convince | Understanding of implementation and control is adequate but is likely to be broad rather than specific to the response. | Understanding is offered and insights to implementation and control are good. They, broadly, are grounded in the response proposed too | Understanding is very good with insights to implementation and control clearly offered with good links to the response proposed | Understanding is excellent with critical insights to implementation and control offered. Very clearly linked to the response proposed | Implementation and control and are handled (and explored) in such a way that critical and innovative insights are detailed |
| Criterion 6 (10%) Presentation of report: structure, spelling, grammar, expression and use of illustration and other supporting materials | a) Arbitrary structure and/or expressed with careless grammar and spelling b) Little or no attempt to illustrate points | a) Some weaknesses in structure and/or expression, grammar and spelling b) Limited illustration of points | a) Structure and/or expression, grammar and spelling largely OK b) Limited illustration of points | a) Structure, spelling, expression and grammar are good and enhance the work b) Illustration of points made adds some value | a) Very good structure, spelling, expression and grammar clearly enhance the work b) The illustration of points made adds value to the work | a) Structure, spelling, expression and grammar are excellent with wit and subtlety in evidence b) Illustration is plentiful and lifts the work significantly | a) Structure, spelling, expression and grammar are well beyond expectation b) Illustration is plentiful and makes the work truly exceptional |
| What you did well in this coursework. | |||||||
| What you can do to improve your future coursework. |
| Below, if applicable, are highlighted some additional online resources that are maintained by the NTU Library, and that you can access via your NOW Student Help Learning Room. Engaging with these resources and the feedback provided above can also support you to enhance specific aspects of your work. | |||
| Writing | Managing your time | ||
| Referencing | Presentation skills |
| Moderator Comment (as necessary): |
Declaration
Required for All Coursework
In advance of your submission, please:
- Complete the following details and include as the first page of your submission;
- Read the Turnitin section and check that you understand how Turnitin is used to assess your work;
- Read the declaration to check that your submission conforms with the listed requirements before you submit your work.
| Name(s) and Student Number(s): | |
| Module Title: | Strategic Marketing |
| Title of Coursework: | Strategic Marketing Audit and Report |
| Word Count (see declaration below): |
| Required Format See Assessment Brief and FAQ Page Numbers: To be included |
| Turnitin Similarity Check Where appropriate to the coursework assignment, your document will be submitted to Turnitin to generate a similarity report for review by your tutor. This report will compare your work against millions of previously submitted student papers and online resources (e.g. web sites, journal articles) in the Turnitin database and highlight any text that matches your submission. |
| Declaration By submitting your work you are certifying that: The submission is the result of your own work and does not contravene the University Regulation on Academic Irregularities.The word count included on this cover sheet is accurate and follows the guidelines outlined in the assignment brief (failure to include an accurate word count will be treated as a minor academic irregularity as defined in the Academic Irregularities Policy.)Your ability to complete your assessment has NOT been adversely impacted by circumstances beyond your control. Once you have submitted your work, any such circumstances would need to be disclosed through the Academic Appeals Policy and process and not through the Notification of Extenuating Circumstances Policy and process. |