MMM52MKT-Applied Challenge

Module Provider: Marketing and Reputation
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring / Summer term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Prof Adrian Palmer
Email: a.palmer@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The Marketing Applied Challenge provides an integrative module for the MSc Marketing programmes through intensive experiential learning. It exposes students in a holistic manner to a marketing challenge to which they will apply previously acquired theoretical knowledge. Students will engage in preliminary research related to the study, which will provide formative assessment prior to further activity during a field study visit. The module will seek to work with a business that is planning to develop a marketing opportunity and the challenge will be to provide managerially useful, and theoretically underpinned advice. As an example, in a previous year, this module worked with a local clothing entrepreneur that sought to identify opportunities for opening a “pop-up” shop in Paris, using social media to drive sales. A field study visit to Paris sought to identify consumer habits and optimal interfaces with prospective customers . Further specific details of the field study visit offered within this module will be available to students before registering for it.

The module assists to create a network of active young specialists who think globally and act locally to make business action happen.

Aims:

The module aims to provide students with an opportunity to:

• advance multicultural understandings, and developing cross-cultural competencies;


• to experience and critically inquire how the theory and applications relevant to marketing acquired so far in the programme may be adapted appropriately to reflect particular economic, social, cultural, political, and legal institutional contexts while maintaining a focus on the core programme themes of international marketing, consumer marketing or digital marketing.


• to provide an experiential opportunity of a holistic context involving local and regional cultural diversity, businesses and broader international and government institutions for students to reflectively synthesize the experience from the study visit with previously acquired knowledge and applications.


• to enable students to cultivate ad-hoc relationships with a variety of actors and institutions to help develop cognitive complexity of what is involved in applying marketing theory to practice in a real-world context.


• to develop interpersonal skills, resilience and emotional intelligence in working in teams to acquire, synthetize and report on newly acquired knowledge discovered in unfamiliar surroundings.


• -progress in a timely manner within the structured academic programme


• -enrich and deepen in a timely manner the structured curriculum of a MSc programme with an element of UK and/or international experience;


• -develop team-working and inter-personal skills as well as master oral and written communication skills.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module students should have demonstrated an ability to:

• demonstrate skills in critical and multicultural thinking for practice to support their educational experiences as well as to support business practice in a global world


• identify, collect and analyse information relevant to the challenge posed by the study. 


• produce recommendations based on analysis and synthesis of information presented during the study challenge.


• critically reflect on and synthesise previously acquired knowledge and theoretical  models and operationalise them in the context of the study challenge.  


• analyse, evaluate and reflect on personal and shared experience relevant to the formation of ad-hoc relationships in a local context. 


• enhance further oral communication /presentation skills and confidence within diverse cultural marketing contexts. 


• demonstrate team working skills as well as oral and written communication skills in diverse contexts through experiential learning.

Additional outcomes:

Students will master the ability to fully capture the richness of the intended learning outcomes. Students are encouraged to utilise the study challenge to learn independently and to make effective use of their time, relations and the resources available. Students will be encouraged to develop personal cognitive skills to be perceptive, reflective and appreciative about a national/ international context. In a relatively short time they will be encouraged to analyse, synthesise and integrate a range of knowledge sources (via secondary research and personal direct experience) relevant to the study context.  They will gain valuable experience of working to meet the expectations of a novel socio-economic and cultural context.

Outline content:

Spring term seminars will introduce students to general background knowledge relevant to the study. The content of these seminars will depend on the precise definition of the study trip, but will broadly comprise:

1.            Seminar giving background to the study context. Where practical, this will be supplemented by a visiting speaker relevant to the study.

2.             Personal development session on finding information in an unfamiliar environment.

3.            Practical workshops applying theory to the practical context of the study visit.

4.            Operational pre-departure briefing.

 

The study visit will be of approximately 4-5 days duration, during which a programme of visits, guest speakers and formative assignments will be undertaken. The study visit is likely to take place in June, however the exact timing will be dependent upon the nature of the visit, partners’ availability etc., and can only be confirmed closer to the time.

 

A team presentation will be made towards the end of the visit (40% of module assessment).

An individual written report (2,000 words) will be submitted within approximately 1 month of return.

 

Students will have to sign a letter, stipulating some formalities in respect to the module, namely study tasks during the time in a particular country, conditions of confidentiality of information, which they may have access in relation to the Company or its clients or staff (related to the company visits), the obligations outlined above extend to information contained in anydocuments, reports, spreadsheets or other materials produced by students regarding the placement in support of the module; data protection. 

Global context:

The study visit may include a UK or international destination.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Customised academic and applied presentations by faculty members and other experts. Students will be exposed to a variety of customised and generic group visits to various businesses and broader institutions that altogether form the “local cultural context” and norms. Student teams will also be allocated a tutor to act as supervisor providing regular contact for consultation as necessary, before and during the visit. Learning will largely be student team-centred, and tutors will r espond to individual students’ queries and learning needs.

The exact timing of activities during the visit will be dependent upon the nature of the visit.

Note that if it is deemed unsafe to travel, an alternative field study challenge may be set and undertaken online.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		4
Seminars		4	8
Fieldwork			40
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)		8	8
Preparation of practical report			8
Group study tasks		10	10
Total hours by term	0
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	60
Oral assessment and presentation	40

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Team presentation, presenting key findings of the study to a “client”. This will take place either on the final day of the study visit, or within two weeks of returning from it.

Individual Report of the findings of the challenge, including reflecting on the process and outcomes of the study - 2,000 words +/- 10% ). This will be submitted one month after the end of the study visit. 

Formative assessment methods:

•             Teams and team members to work towards the preparation of the coursework, before and during the study visit (e.g. via a group wiki).

•             During the study visit, student teams will discuss their team presentation plan with the tutor in advance. The formative feedback will enable teams to reflectively adapt their team presentation and for individual team members to reflect on how to critically apply this feedback in their individual written report. Additionally, feedback will be provided on the preparatory tasks to be completed before the visit.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy 'Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes', which can be found here: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A weighted average of 50% or more required.

Reassessment arrangements:

An individual project (4,000 words) (capped at 50 percent).

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Travel, accommodation and subsistence

 

               - Visa fee (It may vary depending on the visiting country and student nationality)

£150 approx for travel (depending on destination). Students will normally be expected to make their own travel arrangements to the study visit destination. Hotel accommodation and travel at the study destination will be provided. Most meals will be provided, but students may expect to pay for some, plus any incidental or additional costs.

Last updated: 30 March 2023