51357 MARKETING STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
98	51357 	S12 	D 	MARKETING STRAT RES PROJ  	2.00

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: M. GARDINER
Moderator: J. SUMMERS
Instructional design: C. COTTMAN

Other Teaching Staff:

G. JOCUMSEN M. LAWLEY

PRE-REQUISITE(S)

51362+51368


SYNOPSIS:

This capstone unit of the Marketing Major combines the theory and skills acquired in Marketing Research Methods and the theory and practice of Marketing Strategy in a practical, applied marketing project. Strategic marketing decision making, including the development, implementation and evaluation of marketing strategy is a crucial contributor to the success of any organization. Further, the nature, relevance and benefits of strategic marketing planning cannot be over emphasised as pre-requisites to effective marketing and hence business performance. The prime focus of this unit is upon applying previously acquired knowledge of marketing to a `real life' situation involving strategic marketing decision making. Essentially, students are required to identify a strategic marketing decision `problem' in an organization of their own choosing, and to systematically develop a solution in the form of strategic marketing decision recommendations. The project must be presented in full `report' format, incorporating substantial strategic analysis as well as integrated marketing research exercise demonstrating the skills developed in the unit `Marketing Research Methods'. Please note: Semester 3 version{ only} available for students graduating at the end of Semester 1.


OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this unit students will be able
to:

  1. show understanding of the meaning of marketing and corporate
    strategy, and an ability to clearly distinguish between
    "tactical" and "strategic" marketing decisions;
  2. show understanding of the relevance and benefits of corporate
    or overall strategic planning;
  3. show knowledge and understanding of the various techniques
    that are available to marketing managers when developing
    strategy;
  4. relate the various elements of strategic decision-making to an
    overall decision model framework;
  5. research and critically analyse selected case material
    pertaining to various marketing management areas;
  6. demonstrate a grasp of ethics and social responsibility issues
    in marketing strategy;
  7. demonstrate a firm grasp of theory underlying formulation of
    marketing strategy;
  8. demonstrate an ability to appropriately plan a marketing
    strategy study and express it concisely and unambiguously in a
    1,000 word proposal;
  9. demonstrate an ability to write a concise marketing strategy
    analytical report and statement and present it professionally
    and adequately supported and referenced;
  10. demonstrate an ability to logically derive conclusions from
    results of strategy analyses;
  11. demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate the methodology
    and findings of a selected range of journal articles;
  12. demonstrate an ability to succinctly and accurately precis
    text and journal article material;
  13. apply appropriate analytical and research techniques to a
    marketing problem;
  14. coordinate the activities of specialist contributors to the
    planning and implementation of a marketing research project;
  15. demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between
    marketing research and other discipline areas included in the
    Bachelor of Business;
  16. demonstrate a working knowledge of the major management skills
    as they apply to marketing;
  17. demonstrate an ability to devise creative solutions to the
    marketing needs of organisations;
  18. present a research report containing solution(s) to a
    marketing problem; integrate the solution(s) into a strategic
    plan.

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)
  1. Introduction 3.00

  2. Problem Identification and Analysis 9.00

  3. Project Design 3.00

  4. Strategic Analysis and Literature Review 20.00

  5. Primary Data Collection and Analysis 35.00

  6. Integration of Finding and Strategic Implication and 15.00 Options

  7. Recommendation and Implementation Issues 9.00

  8. Final Report 6.00


TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

Aaker, D.A. 1995, Strategic Marketing Management 4th ed. John Wiley
& Sons Inc. Illinois.

Coakes, S.J. and Steed L.G. SPSS Analysis Without Anguish, Version
6.1 John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.

Malhotra, N.R. 1996, Marketing Research An Applied Orientation, 2nd
ed. Prentice-Hall International Inc., New Jersey.

Acquisition of the SPSS software.


STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Directed Study                                	100
Private Study                                 	200

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S              WK 4      PROPOSAL ##                                         Y   N
2   S              WK 14     PROGRAM ##                                          Y   N
3   S    100.00    23/10/98  FINAL                                     100.00    Y   N

*F=Formative, S=Summative

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    The  extension  policy for this unit tries  to  be  fair  to  all
     students who organise their work and family commitments to submit
     their  assignments by the due date, and those  few  students  who
     cannot do so through unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances.
     If  an  assignment  is late, up to one week's  extension  may  be
     granted  if  a signed statement with supporting documentation  is
     sent  with  the  assignment proving that an {unforeseen}  and  an
     {uncontrollable} extenuating circumstance caused the  delay,  for
     example, unusual and unpredictable work or family commitments. If
     this  statement  and documentation does not show that  unforeseen
     and  uncontrollable extenuating circumstance were present for the
     days  claimed,  then the normal reduction in  marks  for  a  late
     assignment  of 20 percent per day, will apply. Extensions  beyond
     one  week  will  not  be  allowed unless  express  permission  is
     obtained  from  the  Unit  Leader  {before  the  date  that   the
     assignment is due. }Extensions beyond one week are extremely rare
     because  model  answers may start to be distributed  to  students
     after one week.
2    To  obtain  a  pass  in  a unit, students must  pass  {both}  the
     assignment mode and the exam mode (if applicable).
3    The  due  date for an assignment is the date by which  a  student
     must  despatch the assignment to the University, and is  normally
     that  defined in the relevant unit specification. The onus is  on
     the student to provide, if requested, proof of date of despatch.
4    The  extension  policy for this unit tries  to  be  fair  to  all
     students who organise their work and family commitments to submit
     their assignments by the due date, and to those few students  who
     cannot do so through unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances.
     If  an  assignment is late, {up to one week's} extension  may  be
     granted  if  a signed statement with supporting documentation  is
     sent  with  the  assignment proving that an {unforeseen}  and  an
     {uncontrollable} extenuating circumstance caused the  delay,  for
     example, unusual and unpredictable work or family commitments. If
     this  statement  and documentation does not show that  unforeseen
     and  uncontrollable extenuating circumstance were present for the
     days  claimed,  then the normal reduction in  marks  for  a  late
     assignment of 20 percent per day, will apply. Extensions  {beyond
     one  week}  will  not  be  allowed unless express  permission  is
     obtained  from  the  Unit  Leader  {before  the  date  that   the
     assignment is due}. Extensions beyond one week are extremely rare
     because  model  answers may start to be distributed  to  students
     after one week.
5    Students  may  apply  for  an  assignment  extension  either   by
     application  through  DEC before the due  date  or  by  including
     application  with the submitted assignment after  the  due  date.
     Such  applications  should be in writing and  include  supporting
     documentary evidence. The authority for granting extensions rests
     with the relevant Unit Coordinator.
6    All  assignments  despatched after due dates without  appropriate
     extension  approvals or after approved extension  dates  will  be
     penalised  up to a maximum of 20% of the assigned mark  per  work
     day.
7    Students  must  retain a copy of all assignments  which  must  be
     provided if/when required by the Unit Leader.
8    Unit  weightings of topics should not be interpreted as  applying
     to  the  number  of  marks allocated to questions  testing  those
     topics in an examination paper.
9    Students  must put the `word count' for their assignment  on  the
     front  page  of the assignment. The word count is the  number  of
     words  in the body of the assignment report and does not  include
     the  title,  executive summary, list of references or appendices.
     To  grade  an  assignment a marker does {not} need to  read  more
     words than the word limit of the assignment.
10   ##Due dates for assessment pieces are as follows: No. 1 - Weeks 4-
     6; No 2 - Weeks 14-16.

This information is accurate as at 04/11/98