Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Marketing management follows the introductory marketing class BSB126 and provides a focus on the implementation and evaluation of the marketing plan. Emphasis is placed on the responsibilities of marketing managers in planning, developing, organising, implementing, controlling, and evaluating marketing activities at the SBU level. The unit prepares students for other marketing units including market research and strategic marketing.

Aims

To develop an analytical capacity for improved managerial judgement in problem solving and decision making in Marketing through a knowledge of Marketing principles and concepts

To develop the skills necessary to implement and evaluate a Marketing Plan

To develop a practical understanding of the functions of Marketing, with some emphasis on the 'tools' and techniques used in practice

Objectives

Course Learning Goals (Undergraduate)
The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:

Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)

1.1 Integrate and apply disciplinary theory and skills to practical situations
1.2 Incorporate the use of technology appropriate to the discipline and context

Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)

2.1 Identify, research and critically analyse information relevant to a business problem or issue, be able to synthesise that information in order to evaluate potential solutions, make recommendations or otherwise effectively address the problem or issue

Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)

3.1 Communicate effectively through written tasks appropriate to varied contexts and audiences
3.2 Communicate effectively through professional oral presentations appropriate to varied contexts and audiences

Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)

4.1 Demonstrate effective team skills in order to contribute appropriately to the production of a group output

Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)

5.1 Apply ethical reasoning, standards or codes of practice relevant to the discipline and make decisions that are informed by social and cultural understanding

Unit Objectives
At the conclusion of the unit, students will be able to:

1. Prepare, implement and evaluate a marketing plan in a real life situation
2. Analyse market segmentation, competitor analysis, marketshare calculation, sales forecasting, marketing metrics and financial analysis of
marketing data.
3. Identify the opportunities and challenges inherent in planning, implementing, controlling, and evaluating marketing performance in
contemporary business practice.
4. Demonstrate team-work skills in a dynamic learning environment

The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.

Content

This unit builds on the knowledge developed in BSB126 by engaging students in a full marketing management cycle (planning, implementation and evaluation). Whereas in BSB126 students learn the components of a marketing plan, in this unit students extend that knowledge into application of a plan with the opportunity to invent a new product (good, service or idea) plan the effective introduction of the product to a simulated market and, analyse and reflect on the outcomes. The development and implementation of the marketing plan is to take place in QUTopia, a make-believe city in Queensland, Australia.

Students will analyse their performance using marketing tools such as marketshare calculations, competitor analysis, profitability and customer retention ratios, and reflect on their experience. The topics covered in the lectures and tutorials provide students with the necessary information to successfully participate in this simulation. These topics consist of all aspects of marketing planning, implementation and evaluation. The generic capabilities this unit develops are problem-solving, critical thinking, application and communication skills.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

The learning experiences in the class are organised through 1.5-hour lectures and 1.5 hour tutorials held in computer labs each week. The lectures reflect contemporary thought regarding marketing concepts, practice and theory. Examples and illustrations incorporate both Australian and other nations' practice, and guest speakers are used to provide a real world perspective. Using an experiential approach of a simulated marketplace; assessment and exercises have been developed where the 'student as consumer' and 'student as the organization' dyadically experience different aspects of the marketing management process. These exercises represent real world applications of marketing theories. The QUTopia marketplace and the related assessment simulates the actions, thoughts and emotions that accompany the management of marketing activities in the real world.

This unit has a high focus on active learning thus the lectures are less than the traditional mode (reducing the passive learning component) and the tutorials are more than the traditional mode (increasing the active learning component). The activities in the tutorials are closely aligned with the lecture content and the assessment activities thus it is highly recommended that students attend the lectures and tutorials. This is not a unit where content that can be learnt remotely or where class attendance is limited.

The design of this unit aims to foster creativity through product development, the design of a marketstall, use of marketing communication that is shown in class and use of social media such as Facebook and youtube.com. Students engage in critical enquiry by reflecting on their achievements and using marketing theory to explain their outcomes and recommend improvements. This approach also teaches students the importance of ethics and the marketing profession's codes of practice.

Assessment

Feedback will be given at individual, group and class levels.

For group assessment feedback is in the form of a marking criteria sheet, brief written comments on the plan and verbal communication with students at face-to-face consultation if required. Verbal feedback can be provided with a face-to-face consultation.

For individual assessment, feedback is in the form of a marking criteria sheet and brief written comments on the case-analysis. Verbal feedback can be provided with face-to-face consultation if required.

Class-level feedback for both individual and group assessment will be provided on the blackboard site as a word document and delivered verbally in both the tutorial and lecture.

Assessment name: Marketing Plan
Description: Marketing Plan. Students are to prepare a marketing plan according to the guidelines given in the 'marketing plan' guidelines. Peer assessment is included.
Length/Duration: 1,500 words
Formative or Summative: Formative/Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 2, 4 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1), TW (4.1)
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Week 7

Assessment name: QUTopia Marketday
Description: QUTopia Marketday Implementation. The assessment has both team and individual components. This assessment builds on the learnings derived from assessment 1. Students are to design and construct a stall or display which will be their distribution outlet for sales at the QUTopia marketdays. They are also required to demonstrate how they are implementing their marketing plan strategies as a team and also describe and justify their individual contribution. Guidelines for each component are provided on the unit's website. Peer assessment is included.
Approximate due date: Group component: Saturday of Weeks 10 and 11 for the team implementation. Individual component due in Week 12.
Weighting: 20% team; 10% individual for peer evalutaion (total 30%)
Length/Duration: 500 words (individual). Group - 2 hours for each market day (Saturdays weeks 10-11).
Formative or Summative: Formative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 4 and AOL goals: PC (3.2), TW (4.1), SEU (5.1)
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group with Individual Component
Due date: Weeks 10, 11 and 12

Assessment name: Reflective Case-Study QUTopia
Description: Students are to analyse the performance of their team in the QUTopia marketplace and the implementation of their marketing plan using reflective case-study analysis. Students will evaluate their marketing outcomes using standard marketing techniques such as marketshare calculation, competitive analysis, and customer retention ratios. They are expected to reflect on their experience throughout the semester, recommend improvements and identify their key learnings about the management of marketing practices.
Students will access QUTopia TV which is a password-protected online video sharing site which contains reflective video clips of past and current students in QUTopia. Students are required to upload a video clip as part of the final assessment and are strongly encouraged to upload a practice video during the semester.
Length/Duration: 2,000 words
Formative or Summative: Summative
Relates to objectives: Unit objectives: 1, 3 and AOL goals: CTA (2.1), PC (3.1)
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 13

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Prescribed

Solomon, M., Hughes, A., Chitty, W., Fripp, G., Marshall, G.W. and Stuart, E.W. (2011) Marketing 2: Real People, Real Choices, Pearson Education, Sydney.
Student manual for QUTopia available on blackboard
Australian Marketing Institute (2004) What value marketing? Unpublished whitepaper, Australian Marketing Institute, Melbourne, Australia. (See Blackboard)

Recommended

Kotler, P., Brown, L., Adam, S., Burton, S. and Armstrong, G. (2007) Marketing, 7th ed. Pearson Education, Sydney.

Crawford,M. and Di Benedetto, A. (2007) New Products Management, 9th ed McGraw-Hill, Sydney

Godin, S (2003) In Praise of the Purple Cow, Fast Company Magazine

References
All additional references are available on blackboard

Risk assessment statement

There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 20-Dec-2012