Unit Title: Marketing Policy, Planning and Communication Guided Learning Hours: 160 Level: Level 5 Number of Credits: 18

Learning Outcome 1
The learner will: Understand the creative nature of marketing and know how to evaluate the role and value of marketing in a variety of business contexts.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 1.1 Identify and apply traditional and contemporary concepts and tools of marketing and marketing management to various business contexts at domestic, international and global levels.

Indicative Content

1.1.1 Identify and apply the major concepts and tools of marketing. 1.1.2 Develop an understanding of contemporary marketing practice. 1.1.3 Assess marketing as a concept and a management function. 1.1.4 Relate marketing activities to various business contexts (domestic, international and global).

1.2 Explain how technology, particularly the internet, is changing traditional marketing and improving marketing systems and processes.

1.2.1 Explain how technology is impacting on marketing theory and contemporary marketing practice. Show how it is creating new ways of doing things. 1.2.2 Assess how organisations can gain competitive advantage through the exploitation of technology (e.g. internet, e-marketing, new media, JIT, research methods, mobile telegraphy etc.).

1.3 Identify and explain the various business orientations.

1.3.1 Explain product, production, sales and marketing orientation.

Learning Outcome 2
The learner will: Understand the marketing mix concept (7Ps) and its role in the formulation of an integrated marketing plan in both domestic and international markets.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 2.1 Explain the 4Ps of the marketing mix and apply them in order to achieve

Indicative Content

2.1.1 Price. The approaches to price setting, the price/quality relationship, price as a segmentation variable, price discrimination, promotional pricing and the communication role

the marketing plan objectives.

of price. 2.1.2 Promotion. The formulation of communication plans and programmes for products, services and organisations in domestic, international and global markets. The communication mix elements, models and frameworks and how to measure and evaluate the performance of campaigns and other communication activities. Explain new media and show how it can be used to advantage. 2.1.3 Place. The evaluation of channel and physical distribution policies and the key concepts and models at both domestic and international levels. This includes; channel choice, level of market exposure, selection of intermediaries, channel conflict and co-operation, wheel of retailing, service elasticity and the components of a business logistics system. Show how technology is changing some traditional distribution methods and explain intermediation and disintermediation. 2.1.4 Product. Evaluate product/service decisions and relate them to the product/service life cycle and the new product development process (NPD).

2.2 Explain and apply the 3Ps of service marketing and show how they differ from product marketing.

2.2.1 Explain how to implement decisions relating to physical evidence, process and people in relation to the service marketing mix. Show why service marketing is so important today.

2.3 Examine and apply service/quality models to service marketing issues.

2.3.1 Appreciate that central to any service product is the service encounter between the provider and the customer. Be aware how service quality can be measured and in particular show an understanding of the GAPs model and the SERVQUAL framework.

Learning Outcome 3
The learner will: Know how to formulate and evaluate marketing plans at domestic and international levels.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 3.1 Explain the need for marketing planning.

Indicative Content

3.1.1 Explain how to develop creative and imaginative competitive strategies. Understand competitive positions (leader, follower, challenger, nicher and defensive).

3.2 Identify and apply the key analytical tools and frameworks related to the marketing planning process.

3.2.1 Explain and apply a range of analytical tools and frameworks in a creative manner associated with marketing planning.

3.3 Create marketing plans and describe and apply all the elements of the marketing planning process.

3.3.1 Explain the need for the marketing plan and its relationship with the overall strategic business plan and appreciate the concept of a hierarchy or cascade of plans.

3.4 Explain how marketing plans are monitored, measured and controlled.

3.4.1 Explain that plans are usually measured against set objectives. Show the importance of investigating any deviation from the objectives so that corrective action can be taken. 3.4.2 Illustrate how organisations measure performance by using appropriate models, frameworks and systems (e.g. the balanced scorecard, management by exception etc.).

Learning Outcome 4
The learner will: Understand the role of information and research in marketing decision making and the influence technology has had on these activities in recent years.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 4.1 Explain and discuss the market research process, the techniques used and how market research is conducted.

Indicative Content

4.1.1 Explain and discuss the market research process, the techniques of marketing research and planning and how to conduct market research. 4.1.2 Discuss the nature of the marketing research process and the stages in the marketing research process. 4.1.3 Explain the sources of secondary data and the methods of collecting primary data: interviews, surveys, observations, experimentation and the internet.

4.2 Explain the role of information in the marketing planning process and describe the nature, role and function of marketing information systems.

4.2.1 Explain the role of information in the strategic planning process. Define markets, and describe how a competitive advantage can be gained through the use of marketing information. 4.2.2 Describe the nature, role and function of a marketing information system (MkIS), its component parts, and how it might be implemented.

4.3 Explain and demonstrate how new technologies have changed traditional market research practices.

4.3.1 Assess the creative possibilities of using the internet, mobile phones, interactive television, databases and related technologies in marketing practice. 4.3.2 Explain how new technologies have formed the platform

for the e-marketing and e-commerce revolution and their impact on marketing and business. 4.3.3 Describe how the developments in technology allow marketers to be more customer-focused and reactive to customer needs. 4.3.4 Demonstrate how database marketing and data mining have improved the accuracy and efficiency of many marketing operations (e.g. direct mail, internet, advertising, JIT and CRM).

Learning Outcome 5
The learner will: Understand the macro and micro environmental factors affecting marketing decisions and how to conduct environmental scanning and external audits.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 5.1 Identify and assess the importance of macro and micro environmental factors.

Indicative Content

5.1.1 Explain the forces affecting all organisations in a market: political, legal, regulatory, societal/green, technological and economic/competitive. 5.1.2 Explain the more company-specific forces reflecting the nature of the business, its suppliers, marketing intermediaries, buyers, competitors and its public. 5.1.3 Explain how to conduct competitor analysis and examine company strengths and weaknesses.

5.2 Explain how the environment impacts on strategic marketing decisions.

5.2.1 Explain that failure to recognise changes in environmental forces leaves an organisation unprepared to capitalise on marketing opportunities or to cope with the threats created by these changes.

5.3 Describe environmental scanning and external audits and explain how they are undertaken.

5.3.1 Explain the process of collecting information about the marketing environment to help marketers identify opportunities, prepare for impending threats and assist in marketing planning.

Learning Outcome 6
The learner will: Understand consumer and organisational buyer behaviour and the main influences at individual, household and organisational level.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 6.1 Explain the different types of consumer buying behaviour, the various factors that affect consumer behaviour and how knowledge of consumer behaviour can be used in marketing practice.

Indicative Content

6.1.1 Explain the different types of consumer buying behaviour. 6.1.2 Describe the various factors that affect consumer behaviour: personal, social, psychological. 6.1.3 Explain the importance of understanding consumer behaviour and the use of this knowledge in marketing practice.

6.2 Explain the different types of organisations and the main characteristics of organisational buying and organisational demand.

6.2.1 Show knowledge of the different types of organisations. 6.2.2 Appreciate the characteristics and differences between B2B and consumer behaviour. 6.2.3 Show all the main characteristics of organisational buying and organisational demand, often derived demand.

6.3 Explain the concepts of the buying centre and the decision-making unit and the sequential nature of organisational decisions.

6.3.1 Discuss the nature of the exchange process between industrial/organisational buyers and sellers, and the factors affecting the buying decision process. 6.3.2 Develop an understanding of segmentation, selecting and targeting in B2B markets.

Learning Outcome 7
The learner will: Understand segmentation targeting and positioning tools and techniques and be able to develop and implement STP strategies in an appropriate and creative manner.

Assessment Criteria The learner can: 7.1 Explain the nature and roles of segmentation, targeting and positioning in consumer, business to business and international markets.

Indicative Content

7.1.1 Explain the concept of segmentation and assess the various bases for market segmentation. 7.1.2 Explain how target markets are selected and distinguish between undifferentiated, differentiated and concentrated marketing policies. 7.1.3 Describe the concept of positioning and the application of appropriate strategies. Demonstrate skills in perceptual mapping and multi-dimensional scaling in product and service

positioning.

7.2 Examine the issues involved in managing the marketing mix in relation to STP for both products and services.

7.2.1 Explain how market segmentation helps the organisation to target its marketing mix more closely on the potential customer and thus to meet the customers needs and wants more closely.

7.3 Develop segmentation, targeting and positioning plans in a creative manner.

7.3.1 Appreciate that STP is a critical stage within the marketing planning process and that creative STP plans can help achieve sustainable competitive advantage.

Assessment: Assessment method: written examination (unless otherwise stated). Written examinations are of three hours duration. All learning outcomes will be assessed. Recommended Reading: Marketing Policy, Planning and Communication ABE Study Manual. Please refer to the Tuition Resources section of the Members Area of the ABE website (www.abeuk.com) for further recommended reading.