MNM2STM: Strategic Marketing

Module code: MNM2STM

Module provider: Marketing and Reputation; Henley Business School

Credits: 15

Level: 7

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Anne Dibley, email: anne.dibley@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

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

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list:

Last updated: 19 November 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module is designed to answer the question: ‘How can an organisation derive value from a marketplace?’ It enables practising managers to understand the underlying theoretical perspectives of the strategic management of markets across a range of organisational situations, and to make informed choices regarding the selection and development of marketing activities. Participants are taken through the cyclical activity of analysing a market; identifying value opportunities; and creating and delivering marketing programmes. Understanding what value means to customers is a core element of this module: value exploration, value creation and value delivery are all covered.  Furthermore, the module emphasises the need for rigour in marketing metrics and the monitoring and evaluation of the outputs and ultimate return of the marketing investment to the organisation.

The module is designed for practising managers and aims to: 

• raise awareness of marketing as both a philosophical and organisational perspective and also a strategic and tactical managerial function;

• develop an understanding of the practice of strategic marketing and the relevance of key marketing concepts;

• emphasise the importance of ethically and socially responsible marketing strategies.

Module learning outcomes

Assessable learning outcomes:

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

1. critically analyse theoretical explanations of marketing situations and assess their relevance;

2. synthesise, evaluate and discuss leading theories and models that are used to explain key concepts in strategic marketing;

3. recognise the external and internal forces that impact upon the choices involve d in strategic marketing with regard to the exploration, creation and delivery of customer value;

4. make distinctions between different types of data and information used to analyse markets, customers and stakeholders;

5. recognise the nature of relationships and partnerships that are vital to the delivery of customer value along with the importance of customer experience;

Additional outcomes:

By the end of the module it is expected that programme members will be able to demonstrate their ability to:

1. adopt a problem-solving approach and use a number of analytical tools to understand market-based problems.

2. communicate a coherent marketing strategy and gain acceptance for it from a range of levels of management within the organisation;

3. engage in critical debate regarding the role of marketing from a general management perspective;

4. participate in collaborative team-working.

Module content

The key topics covered in all modes of study address the aim of enabling programme members to develop an appreciation and understanding of:

• the marketing dilemmas facing the marketing manager

• principles of marketing research and intelligence gathering methods

• B2C and B2B buyer behaviour

• the process of segmenting, targeting and positioning

• basic concepts of brand management, innovation and new product development, pricing, channel management and integrated marketing communications including new forms of social networking and social media platforms

• the role of relationship management in B2C and B2B contexts, and the value of customer service and customer experience

• the need to evaluate and enhance the return of the marketing investment

• Global context:

• The module is taught with reference to international marketing situations. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The content is delivered through a blended learning approach. There are 2 days of taught sessions (module workshop), supported by a range of materials on the learning platform, Canvas; e.g. readings from journal articles and other sources, videos, presentations, practical activities for each topic and reflection points.  Tutor support is also available online.

The contact hours are shown for one semester in the table below for illustrative purposes only, The actual timing will vary depending on your cohort start date.

Study hours

At least 15 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

This module is subject to the Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes policy, which can be found at:

https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties to work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted up to one calendar month 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; 
• where the piece of work is submitted more than one calendar month after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

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.

Workshop activities are undertaken to support formative assessment of the learning. These activities are not assessed for the purposes of the final module mark. 
This formative assessment takes the form of feedback given to students at workshops on syndicate work, presentations and exercises. 

Reassessment

Additional costs