Introductory description

Continuous advances in technology and increasing levels of global competition can seriously affect an organisation’s ability to succeed in the long-term. Therefore, the implementation of effective strategic marketing is essential for organisational survival and prosperity. This module introduces the marketing concept as a key component of business management, highlighting that everyone within an organisation has a contribution to make to the Marketing-related efforts of the organisation. Through the framework of the Strategic Marketing Process, this module teaches marketing specialists and other employee practitioners to critically evaluate and apply relevant tools and techniques to support the organisation achieve its long-term goals.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

• The importance of the Marketing concept and Marketing orientation. The Strategic Marketing Process. The internal and External Marketing environment. Market and customer types- Consumer, Industrial, Government, International Customer Value and Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning. The strategic role of Brands and Branding
• Designing and managing the tactical marketing mix
  o Product - Product policy and innovation. Product life cycle.
  o Price - Price decisions, price strategies.
  o Place - Channel choices & network. Push and pull. Physical distribution systems.
  o Promotion - Corporate image, advertising, sales promotion, public relations and personal selling.
  o The role of other “P’s”
• The impact of data, digital tools & techniques and digital businesses on the role of Marketing
• Strategic Marketing Decision-making and Planning
  o Analysing external market opportunities & threats and assessing internal company capabilities in terms of strengths & weaknesses.
  o Competitor analysis and co-operation.
  o Strategic Decision-making Methods & Tools - Portfolio analysis. Market attractiveness and business position assessment.
  o Management - The planning cycle and marketing performance measurement and improvement.
• International Marketing – strategy and globalisation, modes of entry and standardisation versus adaptation of the tactical marketing mix
• The Marketplace Simulation- Integration of most of the above topics via a simulation of a competitive business environment

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Analyse the impact of external and internal environmental factors on a Strategic Marketing Plan and adapt accordingly
• Interpret what different customer segments value and decide upon an appropriate mix of tactical marketing decisions in order to achieve clearly defined strategic objectives
• Critically evaluate a range of strategic marketing tools/models/techniques in order to justify their inclusion and application in a Strategic Marketing Plan

Indicative reading list

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Interdisciplinary

Marketing is an inherently interdisciplinary science, given at its core it combines elements of Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Management and Finance. Furthermore, due to the increased use of Internet-based technologies and the global impact of Industry 4.0, this module includes such diverse topics as Service Ecosystems and Digital Marketing alongside the more traditional marketing theories, tools and techniques.

International

As the world becomes increasingly more connected, it is essential for organisations to understand the culture, norms and behaviours of potential customers from a wide variety of backgrounds and international locations. This module will introduce students to some of the tools and techniques used by marketers to identify these and adapt their offerings to the specific requirements of international markets.

Subject specific skills

Strategic marketing planning and execution; Market research analysis; Identification of customer needs, wants and behaviours; Competitive Intelligence; Internal (organisational) analysis; Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning; Offering design (products/brands/services) and implementation (Marketing Mix); Strategic Performance Monitoring and Control; Writing a Strategic Marketing Plan

Transferable skills

Critical thinking, Problem solving, Self-awareness, Communication, Teamwork and working effectively with others, Information literacy (research skills), Digital literacy, Sustainability, Ethical values, Intercultural awareness, Professionalism, Organisational awareness