MM218: Marketing Essentials

Module code: MM218

Module provider: Marketing and Reputation; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Mr Alex Scher-Smith, email: a.scher-smith2@henley.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Mandy Mok, email: k.mok@henley.edu.my

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 28 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Marketing Essentials (MM218) is a foundation module in Marketing. It provides students with an overview of Marketing as an academic subject, a key area of corporate activity and a fundamental component of a business strategy. The module discusses and analyses marketing theories, as well as strategic marketing tools and techniques used in the business world. Students are encouraged to engage actively and critically with the theoretical and empirical contents of the module through weekly pre-recorded lectures, live interactive sessions with guest speakers and small-group tutorials. Moreover, students are expected to demonstrate an ability to integrate marketing theories, strategic tools and business practice in their coursework and exam papers.

The module addresses the essential analyses required to develop a marketing strategy, including assessing the competitive arena, customers, market trends and organisational capabilities. The core decisions within marketing strategy are explored, including the selection of opportunities to pursue, target market selection, creating a competitive advantage and brand positioning. The execution of a marketing strategy through the ingredients of the marketing mix is also overviewed. Increasingly leadership teams of businesses are harnessing these marketing analyses and marketing strategy concepts, as they seek to update their corporate strategies, enhance shareholder value and strive to compete successfully in growth markets.

The module aims to enable students to actively and critically engage with the main theories in Marketing. Students will extend a wider understanding of relevant strategic marketing tools and techniques used in the business environment.

The module lead at the University of Reading Malaysia is Dr Mandy Mok.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify the role of marketing in a broad economic and social context.
2. Recognise and relate marketing concepts to the world of business through the use of case studies.
3. Relate the importance of marketing techniques for firms within the marketplace.
4. Demonstrate an ability to create a marketing plan for a specific product.
5. Demonstrate an ability to use key marketing tools and apply taught theories to specific companies.
   

The module also aims to encourage the development of oral communication skills and students’ effectiveness in group situations. Structured activities are designed to develop analytical skills, abilities to construct original arguments and independent learning. Students are encouraged to develop their critical thinking and application to implementing theories to specific industries of choice, whilst analysing arguments in a rigorous and robust manner. Students are also encouraged to showcase additional IT skills by using relevant web resources including the use of Blackboard.

Module content

Underpinning philosophies of Marketing; The Marketing Mix; Understanding Buyer Behaviour; Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning; Product Development; Branding; Pricing; Distributions and Place withing a Global Marketing Context; Services and Extended Marketing Mix; Consumer Insights Through Market Research; Digital Marketing; Marketing Ethics and Sustainability.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module includes weekly pre-recorded lectures, live interactive sessions with guest lecturers and small group tutorials. The main topics of the syllabus will be covered in the lectures. Students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with key readings to further delve into the chosen lecture topic, which will inform the preceding interactive session and tutorial later in that week. Weekly interactive sessions are designed to explore further into that week’s chosen topic and an opportunity for students to ask questions pertinent to the chosen research area. Interactive sessions are presented in a live format through an interview with the presenter of the preceding video lecture. Throughout these interactive sessions, students are required to contribute through sharing their ideas and asking relevant questions based upon the weekly topic.

Tutorials consist of small-group discussions, presentations, workshops and case study analyses. Topics are set in advance by the module convenor and are researched, discussed and presented by students in groups. Seminars offer an opportunity to provide students with formative feedback on their presentations and understanding of the topics. These sessions also offer an opportunity to tackle the group assignments whereby tasks are designed for students to progress with their group work whilst gaining targeted feedback from the seminar tutor. Case study analyses will also be explored providing an opportunity to implement key elements taught throughout the module and apply them to live industry briefs.

This module may be taught in a different Semester if you are studying at our campus in Malaysia.

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of independent study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 24 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative feedback will be given for presentations and discussions in the interactive sessions and seminars.

Reassessment

Additional costs