Assignment 1 - Case study presentation and discussion (group grade 10%)
Maximum time limit: 10 minutes plus discussion
Submission: Upload your slides to MyUni before your presentation
Resources: Cases to present are available in Course Resources and will be assigned in Week 1.

The task: Each group will:
• Briefly summarize their assigned case study and outline relevant questions for discussion (maximum 10 minutes)
• Facilitate the class discussion
• Give their considered points of view as part of the facilitated discussion of all students in the class
If required, the lecturer will add additional questions and support facilitation of the relevant discussion.


Assignment 2 – ‘Slice of Life Presentations’ (Individual grade 10%)
Maximum time limit: Five minutes plus five minutes discussion.
Maximum slides: Two slides maximum (one for theory, one for real-life example)
Submission: Upload your slide(s) to MyUni before your presentation.

The task: You will be assigned to a session to present a “slice of life” presentation – a slick five-minute presentation where you take a piece of the theory from the course and show where it’s happening in the real world. You should draw on theory from the week previous to the week in which you present. An example of a slice of life presentation will be provided in Week 1’s class.

A “slice of life” presentation might focus on a topic like price bundling with phone contracts, the basics of exchange with a cool total product, integrated marketing communications with a company’s social media, or the extra three Ps of service in a supermarket. The presentation should be punchy, clever, and short. Use only one or two slides (max), i.e., one to define the theory, one to highlight the illustrative example. For the illustrative example, you might like to use a picture from your weekly shopping, an e-newsletter sent by a firm, or an extract from a media article, etc.

Presentations will occur throughout trimester between Weeks 3-11.


Assignment 3 – Company Marketing Profile Report (Individual grade 25%)
Due date: Sunday end of Week 5
Maximum word count: 2000 words (+/- 10%)

The task: Using a company/brand with which you are familiar (e.g., your employer) in a business report format (executive summary, table of contents, appendices) you are required to prepare a Marketing Profile Report about that organization/brand. Undertake a thorough assessment of the organization through its annual reports, website, communications, etc. Using the learning from Sessions 1-4 you need to discuss:

1. What is the firm’s orientation towards the marketplace?
2. What are the major marketing issues faced
3. Major competitive issues facing the company
4. A definition of the customers’ needs (in marketing terms)
5. Segmentation/targeting related to the company/brand

Assessment 3 grades will be awarded using the following criteria:
10% Identification of the organization's orientation towards the marketplace
20% Identification of the major marketing research issues faced (information needed and how might it be collected)
20% Major competitive issues facing the company
20% A definition of the needs fulfilled (in marketing terms)
20% Segmentation/targeting relating to the brand
10% Clarity and presentation


Assignment 4 – Consulting Report (Group grade 25%)
Due date: Sunday 4 December 2022, 11.59pm (end of Week 13)
Maximum word count: 3000 words (+/- 10%, excluding Executive Summary, table of contents, appendices, tables, etc.)
Submission: Upload submission to MyUni

The task: Students will be formed into groups of 4-5 maximum. Each group will expand on the individual report of one of the team members from Assessment 3. Besides providing a background and summary of the organization and its marketing profile, the group will undertake a comprehensive situational analysis of the organization, further clarify and expand on the marketing issues or challenges faced by the organization, and present a recommended course of action. Justification and rationale for the recommendation is required, based on careful in-depth analysis. There is rarely any one answer to a business problem, hence, analysis and consideration of alternatives is paramount.

Prepare a short, succinct report detailing the background of the firm (including analysis of its current markets and marketing efforts), a situational analysis of its business and competitor environment, the main problem(s) or challenge(s) facing the firm, options for solving the issue(s) or challenge(s), and your recommended course of action (and the associated benefits and trade-offs). Desk research involving annual reports, media and news articles, and appropriate databases (e.g., Euromonitor’s Passport, accessed through the University Library) is expected.

Remember to justify your reasoning or rationale for why your recommended course of action is preferred over others. The key assessment criteria include the depth and quality of analysis, the degree to which marketing theory and data has been incorporated into the analysis and problem-solving process, the quality of the justifications for the recommendation(s), and the quality of communication.

Please DO:
• Present the case in report format with subheadings and paragraphs following a logical structure.
• Use tables, diagrams and further analysis of data to clarify, illustrate and supplement analysis and support your recommendations.
• Use page numbers and 1½ spacing for ease of reading and feedback.
• Provide references to provide a transparent link to your sources.
• Use citations from original sources to support your statements, using an accepted format such as Harvard or APA 7th Edition (if sources are not appropriately acknowledged they may be assessed as being plagiarized)
• Proof read your reports thoroughly, for grammatical and spelling errors.

Please DO NOT:
• (DO NOT) Use bullet points unless you are simply presenting a list which is self-explanatory. Bullet points do not lend themselves to discussion and explanations.
• (DO NOT) Copy material or use ideas from other sources without acknowledging the source. Failure to acknowledge sources may be interpreted as plagiarism which is a serious offence.

Assessment 4 grades will be awarded using the following criteria:
20% Background to the organization and identification of challenges or issues
30% Recommended course of action including justification & rationale and identification of benefits & trade-offs
40% Integration of marketing theory and data into analysis and recommendations
10% Quality of written communication including expression, structure, referencing, etc.


Assessment 5: Take home test (Individual grade 30%)
The take home test will be submitted through MyUni as a written assignment. The test will be open book. Format will be advised later in trimester.