MMM182: Hot Topics in Marketing

Module code: MMM182

Module provider: Marketing and Reputation; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Adrian Palmer, email: a.palmer@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE MMM176 (Compulsory)

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

This module extends knowledge gained during the programme by critically reviewing theories of marketing in the context of modern day challenges in the business and social environment. It allows consideration of emerging issues in marketing and encourages a critical, integrative, cross-disciplinary perspective. Each session will focus on a topic and reference will be made to leading edge thinking in academic and practitioner journals. The principles of marketing may now be quite mature, but questions are often raised about the application of these principles to new or emerging contexts. As an example, marketing has been blamed by some as a cause of climate change, but others see marketing as the best solution to overcome it. Topics selected for study in this module will reflect contemporary issues and the research specialisms of Henley Business School staff which will be shared with students.

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate a wide world view on marketing theories and practices.
2. Develop and be able to apply appropriate frameworks for critically evaluating new ideas in the marketing environment as they emerge
3. Challenge and critique the status quo in relation to established marketing practices
4. Develop approaches to reconciling conflicting views of marketers and other stakeholders in organisations
5. Evaluate marketing impacts to the wider society.

Module content

The topics covered in this module will change from year to year, and will focus on issues which are currently being widely debated in marketing circles and in society more widely. The choice of topics will also be influenced by the specialisms available among staff of Henley Business School. The following are indicative of the topics that may be covered in this module:

• The role of markets and marketing in addressing major societal challenges, e.g. climate change
• Opportunities and challenges for marketing arising from Covid-19
• The engaged, experience seeking consumer
• The role of trust in marketing
• The future of “High Street” retailing

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module explores practice and/or research led hot topics in marketing. Each topic is explored in a workshop context through case studies of current practice, underpinned by appropriate theoretical frameworks. 

Study hours

At least 20 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 50% 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.

Feedback in class to class exercises.

Reassessment

Additional costs