MKT306 Marketing Strategy ESSAY

MKT306 Marketing Strategy

Students are required to submit their coursework through JIRA. Only assessments submitted through JIRA will be marked. Any other submission including submission to

your study centre in hard copy will be treated as a non-submission.

If your centre supports Turnitin©, a copy of your Turnitin© originality report must be

submitted in conjunction with your assignment.

PLAGIARISM/INFRINGEMENT STATEMENT

All Assessments are subject to the University’s Policy on ‘Cheating, Collusion and Plagiarism’. Students found guilty of this are subject to severe penalties.

This is an INDIVIDUAL piece of work – If there is evidence that the work is not

wholly attributable to you, the University’s policy on ‘Cheating, Collusion and

Plagiarism’ will be applied

Link to University Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy

• https://docushare.sunderland.ac.uk/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-8155 https://docushare.sunderland.ac.uk/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-8155

Assignment Brief:

The task is divided into two parts (Part 1 & Part 2) and candidates are expected to address

both.

After entering commercial markets in the first half of the decade, electric car sales have

soared. Only about 17 000 electric cars were on the world’s roads in 2010. By 2019, that

number had swelled to 7.2 million, 47% of which were in The People’s Republic of China

(“China”). Nine countries had more than 100 000 electric cars on the road. At least 20

countries reached market shares above 1% (IEA Global EV Outlook 2020, 2021).

“But the main reason for growth is simple – electric cars are a better technology. There is

no noise, no pollution, better acceleration, and cheaper running costs. If people test-drive

an electric car, they’re not going to go back to gasoline vehicles. The problem at the

moment is that the price is a little bit higher, but the cost is really coming down as well.

The rising sales are being driven by government policies to reduce carbon emissions, but

a key factor is that electric cars are simply a better technology”, said Viktor Irle, sales

and marketing analyst at EV-volumes.com (The Guardian, 2021).

Sources:

IEA Global EV Outlook 2020, 2021 [online]. Available at

https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2020. Accessed 29th January 2021

The Guardian, 2021 [online]. Available at

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/19/global-sales-of-electric-cars-

accelerate-fast-in-2020-despite-covid-

pandemic#:~:text=Global%20sales%20of%20electric%20cars%20accelerated%20fast%

20in%202020%2C%20rising,almost%20500%2C000%2C%20followed%20by%20Volks

wagen. Accessed 29th January 2021

As the head of marketing of a car manufacturer/brand (of your choice), you have been

tasked with creating a report for senior management on the introduction of a new brand of

electric car into the market. The new brand should be aimed at the premium segment of the

market and launched in a country of your choice.

The launch is scheduled for late 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/12/electric-cars-already-cheaper-own-run-studyhttps://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2020.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/19/global-sales-of-electric-cars-accelerate-fast-in-2020-despite-covid-

• Part 1:

o Using appropriate sources, undertake a full marketing audit (internal and external

environments) to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to

your organisation. Include details about the industry competitive position and market

share of your competitors.

o Provide a critical evaluation of the organisation’s competitive edge (USP) and its

current marketing strategy. Demonstrate its effectiveness by providing value added to its

consumers and include other relevant market performance data to underpin your

evaluation (e.g., growth, sales trends and/or profitability) of your competitors.”

[Weighting – 50%]

• Part 2:

o Based on your Part 1 analysis, select a single target segment and set clear marketing

objectives to increase brand awareness, market share, sales and/or profitability for the

new brand you are recommending. Your marketing strategy should address these

objectives with the application of the marketing mix to your organisation.

o These suggestions should be your own ideas but may include marketing tactics and

strategies used by other successful organisations or companies.”

[Weighting – 50%]

For the purpose of this assessment students need to focus on marketing strategies being

used at the B2C level.

Your arguments, findings and recommendations should be supported by theories, facts

and figures published within academic books, journal articles, recognised business

magazines and market intelligence reports.

Assignment Structure:

This is an individual assignment as a single report in two parts. Candidates are encouraged to be

creative with their analysis and recommendations by using theories covered in the lectures and

workshops.

The below is the structure that candidates can follow for his/her report:

PART 1

 Title page

 Executive Summary

 Table of contents

 Introduction

 Situational Analysis – (PESTLE) (SWOT)

 Competition and Competitive advantage (USP)

 Evaluation of current marketing strategy

PART 2

 Segmentation Targeting & Positioning (STP)

 Recommended objectives and goals (SMART – these should not be listed but holistically

integrated throughout Part 2)

 Recommended Marketing Strategies, based on the application of the marketing mix to your

chosen electric vehicle brand

 Conclusion

 Bibliography (with references)

 Report from TurnItIn©

Appendix 1 – Word count requirement and word limit penalties

If the word limit is exceeded, the following penalties apply:

If the word limit is exceeded, the following penalties apply:

The word count includes everything except the title page, references and appendices.

 Students must indicate word count (excluding title page, references and appendices) in submitted work – this word count should appear on your title

page.

 The word count for this assignment is 3,500 with a leniency of 10% (+/-) i.e. a maximum word count of 3,850 and a minimum of 3,150.

Exceeds word limit by up to 10% No Penalty – tolerance band

Exceeds word limit by 10.1-20% 5 percentage points deduction

Exceeds word limit by 20.1-30% 10 percentage points deduction

Exceeds word limit by 30.1-40% 15 percentage points

Exceeds word limit by 40.1-50% 20 percentage points deduction

Exceeds word limit by more than 50% Mark of zero

Generic Assessment Criteria – Undergraduate Bachelor’s degree

Categories Grade Relevance Knowledge Analysis Argument and Structure Critical Evaluation Presentation Reference to Literature

P a

ss

86 – 100%

The work examined is exemplary and provides clear evidence of a complete grasp of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is

also unequivocal evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be

exemplary in all the categories cited above. It will demonstrate a particularly compelling evaluation, originality, and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse.

76-85% The work examined is excellent and demonstrates comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence

showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be excellent in the majority of the

categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse and there may be some evidence of originality

The work examined is of a high standard and there is evidence of comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also

70 – 75%

clearly articulated evidence demonstrating that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are satisfied At this level it is expected that the standard of

the work will be high in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse.

Directly relevant to A substantial Good analysis, Generally coherent and May contain some Well written, with Critical appraisal of up-to-

60 – the requirements of knowledge of clear and orderly logically structured, using distinctive or standard spelling date and/or appropriate

69% the assessment relevant material, an appropriate mode of independent thinking; and grammar, in a literature. Recognition of

showing a clear argument and/or may begin to readable style with different perspectives. grasp of themes, theoretical mode(s) formulate an acceptable format Very good use of source

questions and independent position material. Uses a range of issues therein in relation to theory sources Some attempt to Adequate Some analytical Some attempt to construct a Sound work which Competently Uses a variety of literature

50 – address the knowledge of a fair treatment, but coherent argument, but may expresses a coherent written, with only which includes some recent

59% requirements of range of relevant may be prone to suffer loss of focus and position only in broad minor lapses from texts and/or appropriate the assessment: material, with description, or to consistency, with issues at terms and in uncritical standard grammar, literature, though not

may drift away intermittent narrative, which stake stated only vaguely, or conformity to one or with acceptable necessarily including a from this in less evidence of an lacks clear theoretical mode(s) couched more standard views of format substantive amount beyond

focused passages appreciation of its analytical in simplistic terms the topic library texts. Competent use

40 – 49%

Some correlation

with the

Basic

understanding of

Largely

descriptive or

A basic argument is

evident, but mainly

Some evidence of a

view starting to be

A simple basic style

but with significant

Some up-to-date and/or

appropriate literature used.

requirements of the subject but narrative, with supported by assertion formed but mainly deficiencies in Goes beyond the material the assessment addressing a little evidence of and there may be a lack of derivative. expression or format tutor has provided. Limited but there are limited range of analysis clarity and coherence that may pose use of sources to support a instances of material obstacles for the point.

F

a il

35 – 39%

Relevance to the

requirements of the

assessment may be

very intermittent,

and may be

reduced to its

vaguest and least

A limited

understanding of a

narrow range of

material

Heavy

dependence on

description,

and/or on

paraphrase, is

common

Little evidence of coherent

argument: lacks

development and may be

repetitive or thin

Almost wholly

derivative: the writer’s

contribution rarely

goes beyond

simplifying paraphrase

Numerous

deficiencies in

expression and

presentation; the

writer may achieve

clarity (if at all) only

by using a simplistic

Barely adequate use of

literature. Over reliance

on material provided by

the tutor.

The evidence provided shows that the majority of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied – for compensation consideration.

30 – 34%

The work examined provides insufficient evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence provided shows that some of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in some of the indicators.

15-29% The work examined is unacceptable and provides little evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence shows that few of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in several of the indicators.

0-14% The work examined is unacceptable and provides almost no evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence fails

to show that any of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in the majority or all of the indicators.