Marketing

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Bristol Business School









Academic Year: 09/10

Assessment Period: August

Assessment Type: Referral Coursework



Module Leader: Ed Little

Module Number: UMKC7Q-20-2

Module Name: Marketing

Word Limit: ….



Coursework Submission Date and Time:



Assignments are to be submitted by 2pm Monday 16 August 2010 at the

assignment boxes near Cribs coffee shop (2B corridor). Please be aware

that there is NO 24hr or 10 day window this year.

If you wish to post your assignment, we recommend that you post it via

Recorded Delivery and obtain proof of the date and time of posting. Your

work must be in the post by the deadline.



Deadline: Monday 16 August 2010 14:00



Assignment Instruction:





UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND, BRISTOL



LEVEL 2



Marketing

Module No UMKC7Q-20-2



Summer 2010



Referral assignment: Market Analysis and Strategic Recommendation





ASSIGNMENT TYPE: Individual report

ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION: Monday, 16th August 2010

SUBMISSION PLACE: Boxes by Cribs B

MODULE LEADER: Ed Little Ed Little

Learning Outcomes



Upon completion of this assignment students will have demonstrated their

ability to:

 apply marketing analysis frameworks to strategic marketing planning

decisions;

 identify potential the threats and opportunities within a given market sector;

 analyse the strengths and weaknesses of a chosen organization within that

market segment;

 critically appraise the ability of that chosen organization to address the

threats and exploit the opportunities that exist within their sector;

 generation of clear, rational and reasoned recommendations as to a

preferred course of action taking into account the short, medium and long

term future of the organization.





Assignment tasks



Taking the role of a Marketing Consultant, you have been asked by your

‘client’ to generate a report which includes a full market analysis and a set of

strategic recommendations to help secure their short (1-3 years), medium (3-5

years) and long term (5 years +) future. They have asked that this document

should take the form of a formal report and that all recommendations should

be fully supported by relevant marketing theory and recent market data.



Whilst you are free to choose your own ‘client’ organisation to study, it MUST

be drawn from ONE of the following five sectors:



 Fast food restaurants

 Education providers

 Hotels

 Footwear

 Automotive





Please note that if you are re-taking this assignment as a DEFERRAL (i.e.

taking this assignment as if for the first time because of mitigating

circumstances), you should e-mail Ed Little (ed.little@uwe.ac.uk) in order to

discuss your choice of organisation/sector.



In order to complete this assignment satisfactorily, the following tasks need to

be completed:



1. Decide which market sector you would like to explore and identify an

appropriate, named organisation to study. (5% of assignment mark)

It is essential that you select an organisation from one of the sectors listed

above. Assignments that study an organisation that does not function in any

of the specified sectors will be deemed as having not met the specified

assessment criteria and will be immediately ‘referred’.



2. Undertake an analysis of your chosen market. (30% of assignment

mark)

Your analysis should encompass both the ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ factors that

impact upon the way that your ‘client’ functions within its given market sector.

You are expected to use a combination of marketing models and a variety of

up-to-date sources of market information to inform and illustrate your

discussions. PLEASE NOTE: THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD

SIMPLY REHASH WHOLE MINTEL OR OTHER INDUSTRY REPORTS.



3. Identify and appraise the key opportunities and threats that face your

‘client’. (30% of assignment mark)

Over the course of your analysis, you should encounter a number of factors

that pose threats to your client’s market position or, alternatively, may offer

lucrative opportunities. Taking your client organisation’s strengths and

weaknesses into account, you are expected to appraise the relative

attractiveness of the options that they present in the short, medium and long

term.



4. Make clear and coherent recommendations as to the most appropriate

strategic choices in the short, medium and long-term. (30% of

assignment mark)

Having appraised the relative attractiveness of the options facing your client,

you must then make clear and well-justified recommendations. It is essential

that, when you make your recommendations, you support them using the

analysis that you have undertaken and, ideally, prioritise them.



5. This assignment should be structured in the form of a formal

business report of 2500 words (+/- 10%). (5% of assignment mark)

Marks are awarded for presentation, spelling, grammar and the appropriate

use of business terminology.





Report Components



The following document outline indicates the areas you need to consider

when preparing your report. The order in which you cover these areas is at

your discretion, the order shown below is simply a suggested one:



A) Introduction to report and the work which has been undertaken

A good ‘introduction’ section should set the scene for the report and clearly

indicate the market sector and organisation chosen. It should summarise the

aims and objectives of the report and perhaps say something about the

methods and sources used to compile it. Finally, it should briefly outline the

sections which are coming up in the remainder of the report to provide the

reader with ‘sign posts’ as to what the report contains.



B) Company/Organisation Profile

This section should provide an outline of the organisation, its history, its

position in the market (relative to its competitors i.e. relative market

share/growth) and its structure. You should be able to clearly discuss its

brands/product range and, most importantly, be able to identify the markets

within which it functions.



C) Market Analysis

This should feature a comprehensive view of what is happening in the market

and the impact that it is having, or is likely to have, on your client’s

organisation. It should encompass both the ‘macro’ and the ‘micro’ elements.

However, as stated previously, ‘comprehensive’ does not equate to a

rehashing of large chunks of a Mintel report. Whilst such reports are

obviously good sources of data, it is often the case that the reports that gain

the highest marks are those that have drawn information from a variety of

creditable sources. Please note that in the case of ALL sources, usage of

material should be properly and completely cited and referenced using the

Harvard Referencing system. As the central theme of this assignment is

‘analysis’, please resist the urge to reproduce data sources directly and

unquestioningly. You are expected to synthesise data from a number of

sources and consider its implications critically and analytically within the

context of your chosen organisation and its market.



D) Using Market Intelligence to Shape Strategic Decision-Making

Having collected data about the organisation and its marketing environment,

you are expected to use marketing models and frameworks to identify critical

success factors i.e. those actions that your chosen organisation should

undertake to optimise its position within the market. Whilst, at its most basic

level, it will include the construction of a ‘SWOT’ or ‘TOWS’ diagram, a good

assignment will go much further and include an informed discussion as to

what you view the key organisational priorities to be based upon the its ability

to capitalise upon its strengths to exploit opportunities and minimise threats.

Similarly, you should also consider the impact of the client organisation’s own

weaknesses and the extent to which you believe these need to be addressed

and be prepared to justify why. The reader should leave this section with a

clear idea as to the variety of potential options open to the client organisation

that might reasonably be explored.



E) Strategic Recommendations

In this section you, as the Consultant must offer the client organisation your

opinion as to how they should proceed. Good assignments will base their

recommendations upon the analysis that they have undertaken in the

previous sections. An ideal starting point is the statement of specific

marketing objectives for immediate attention that are based upon and justified

by prior analysis and recommendations as to how the might be best achieved.

Good assignments will also identify strategic objectives to address medium

and longer term challenges and opportunities.



F) References

All sources used in compiling the report should be cited fully using the

Harvard Convention for citation, and all citations should be fully listed in a

reference section. Details on the Harvard Convention can be found on the

library web-site: http://www.uwe.ac.uk/library. Click on ‘study and

information skills’, then ‘referencing’, then ‘Harvard’. A brief outline has also

been included at the back of this booklet.



It is appropriate throughout the report to make use of relevant marketing

frameworks for the consideration and presentation of material.





Assessment Criteria



1. Identification of an appropriate organisation as the basis of this study from one of the

five market sectors listed.

2. Detailed and insightful understanding of the chosen organisation and the markets that

it serves.

3. Detailed and thorough market analysis at both a ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ level.

4. Use of up-to-date market information in combination with appropriate theoretical

frameworks as a basis of the analytical process.

5. The ability to draw logical conclusions from the analysis undertaken and use it to

support strategic recommendations across different time frames (short, medium and

long).

5. Final report presented to a professional level and appropriately referenced.

Marking Guide



First Class. 70%+



Distinctive submissions that demonstrate exceptional learning in ALL the

following criteria:

- Tasks in assessment brief are comprehensively addressed and of a

consistently high standard;

- Clear integration and substantiation of relevant marketing tools;

- Submission has practical feasibility within industry context;

- Conclusions drawn at various stages are sustainable and appropriate;

- Effective and concise communication of ideas and written quality of report

format and writing

- Evidence of wider reading

- Clear acknowledgement of ALL relevant academic sources using Harvard

Referencing system;

- Outstanding presentation quality, structuring and meets specified word

limit.







Upper Second Class 60-69%



Above average submissions that demonstrate substantial learning in ALL the

following criteria:

- Tasks in assessment brief are comprehensively addressed and of a

consistently high standard;

- Integration and substantiation of relevant marketing tools demonstrated;

- Conclusions drawn at various stages are sustainable and appropriate,

though the comprehensiveness of the coverage may not be clear;

- Effective and concise communication of ideas and written quality of report

format and writing;

- Some evidence of wider reading

- Clear acknowledgement of ALL relevant academic sources using

HARVARD Referencing system;

- Strong presentation quality, structuring and meets specified word limit.







Lower Second Class 50-59%



Average submissions that demonstrate broad learning across the assessment

but with no outstanding areas:

- Tasks in assessment brief are addressed and of a consistently good

standard;

- Integration and support of relevant marketing tools with no major

omissions;

- Demonstration of continuity between the various stages of the NPD

process needs developing;

- Conclusions drawn at various stages need developing;

- Effective and concise communication of ideas and written quality of report

format and writing;

- Minimal evidence of further reading having been undertaken;

- Acknowledgement of majority of relevant academic sources using

HARVARD Referencing system;

- Good quality of presentation, clear structuring and minimal spelling/

grammatical errors. Meets specified word limit.







Third Class 40-49%



Submissions indicate poor but adequate learning in the module:

- Tasks in assessment brief are superficially covered, lacking in detail, with

minimal supporting explanation given;

- Main marketing tools are utilised but coverage and discussion weak;

- Conclusions drawn at various stages are weak and without academic

underpinning;

- Sufficient communication of ideas and written quality of report format and

writing, albeit weakly evidenced;

- No evidence of wider reading;

- Few academic sources cited and incorrect referencing system used;

- Adequate level of presentation some structural, spelling and grammatical

issues;

- Is either well over specified word limit or well under +/- 10%.





Referred < 40%



Submissions indicate minimal learning in the module:



- Inability to address the tasks set out in the brief, coverage of material

sparse;

- Fails to answer the tasks set;

- Minimal application of relevant marketing tools and misses key points;

- Minimal / no indication that the student is aware of and can use module

material;

- Conclusions drawn at various stages are sustainable and appropriate;

- Ideas and written quality of report format and writing not supported with

appropriate evidence;

- No evidence of wider reading

- Inaccurate citing of academic sources;

- Poor level of presentation, lacking structure, some structural, spelling and

grammatical issues.

- Is either well over specified word limit or well under +/- 10%

********* IMPORTANT *********



Plagiarism, collusion and non-compliance with assessment regulations are

offences under University regulations and where suspected, will be

investigated under official procedures. Penalties vary depending on the

severity of the offence but can include expulsion from the University.



Appropriate citation of source documents is essential when presenting written

work and it is crucial that you quote the books, journals, websites etc that you

used whilst researching your work. Information about referencing is available

from the Faculty Librarian or the library web pages at

www.uwe.ac.uk/library/resources/general/info_study_skills/refs.htm



For further information please see BBS Assessment Offence Guidelines for

Students.