MK7040 Marketing in a Digital Age and Corporate Social

Introduction to the MODULE

This module is designed to introduce you to contemporary principles and practices in marketing, in a customer-focused and market-oriented organisation. Relationship marketing is the recent marketing approach that develops around the buying and consumption experience. As such, the module aims to develop your in-depth understanding of the strategic role of marketing in business, and its impact on the market and society in the digital age.

The main aim(s) of the module are:

·To develop your understanding of contemporary marketing in an environment of digitalised communications serving a customer-brand-relationship.

·To equip you with the ability to make strategic decisions in market segmentation, targeting and positioning, brand and corporate reputation management, market offerings, and marketing programme/mix.

·To offer you insight into future marketing challenges: society, technology, and ethics; the role of corporations in our society; accountability and responsibility in the corporate environment.

·To develop your understanding of corporate social responsibility; and the most relevant mandatory corporate social responsibility interventions, to make responsible business and market decisions.

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

1.Develop a critical understanding of major concepts, frameworks, and methods in marketing and corporate social responsibility, and assess their application in the business environment, including brand value.

2.Examine the role digital marketing and media play in contemporary marketing and business practice, and the social impact of these practices.

3.Identify key issues and problems related to the lack of responsibility in the approach to corporate business operations, and the risk that unethical corporate conducts pose for our society.

Thinking skills

4.Critically evaluate marketing strategies, including digital marketing solutions - in different business contexts, and address their implications including ethical issues, and reflect on the significance of key historical events.

Subject-based practical skills

5.Make strategic marketing decisions based on facts and market research; and to commission marketing communication campaigns, including digital marketing solutions.

6.Critically assess currently implemented corporate social responsibility solutions and recognise the links between the adoption of certain solutions and the performance of business operations.

Skills for life and work (general skills)

7.Adopt a persuasive argumentation, and present it in verbal or written communication.

8.Collect, analyse and synthesise data; and take a problem-solving approach to strategic thinking, and creativity.

Your Task

Research the case of Amazon – Whole Foods and write a report that reflects on and answers the following questions.

Your answers should be supported by evidence from the data you collect through your research. Your answers should also show how you analysed the data you collected using the marketing theories and concepts, and corporate social responsibility concepts you are learning in this module.

The questions:

1.What was the business opportunity for Amazon? How did the company capture it?

2.Identify Risks and Opportunities for Amazon in entering in this new market.

3.Prepare a short marketing project for launching the Whole Food and Amazon cooperation, from market research to operational marketing.

4.Analyse the impact of this new business model on the social and economic environment

Recommended report structure:

-Title page with student number and module code, plus word count

-Each question followed by the relevant answer. You may have sub-sections in each answer.

Report’s Presentation instructions

Your work should be word-processed as per the following:

·Font style, Calibri, font size 12

·1.5 line spacing

·The page orientation should be ‘portrait’

·Margins on both sides of the page should be no less than 2.5 cm

·Pages should be numbered

·Your name should not appear on the script

·Your student number should be included on every page

Word Count

Your word count should not include your table of contents, reference list or appendices. You should provide your word count at the front cover of your report.

Exceeding the word count may result in a penalty of 5% of your mark. If your work is significantly shorter, then you probably did not provide the level of detail required.

The formative group presentation (Not assessed)

This is an invaluable opportunity for you to get feedback from your tutor that will be exceptionally helpful when you are writing your individual report, so don’t miss it.

Read the case study. Conduct market and company research and analysis. Answer the case study questions as a group. Prepare a few slides to present to the class and be ready to engage in a discussion and question and answer activity. Remember that “none of us is as smart as all of us”, so learn from each other, before you go and write your individual report. All of you will be winners here as each of you will write better after studying and discussing the case in class.

-Simply try to have a slide or two for each question. The first slide will have your names, and the last one will have your references.

-Presentation time is 15 minutes followed by 5 minutes discussion and tutor feedback, which will be invaluable for your individual report

-All group members are encouraged to participate in the presentation

Slides Presentation instructions (text should be presented in a legible format) Your work should be word-processed as per the following:

·Font style, Calibri, font size not less than 24

·Margins on both sides of the slide should be no less than 2 cm

·Slides should be numbered

·Your name and ID number should appear on your slides and the front slide