PE7053 - Strategic Marketing in the Digital Era

What will I learn on this module?

In this module you will learn to appreciate the role of a strategic manager of a modern-day manufacturing and sales business in the context of an increasingly digitalised consumer-environment. You will be introduced to Marketing at a strategic level of a business, and also learn how marketing decisions are made in the context of other essential business functions; i.e. financial planning, operations and supply chain management, and human resource management. You will learn to appreciate the digital nature of modern-day business operations and marketing strategy. The module is delivered using interactive workshops, supported by an interactive discussion board, tutor supported, but permitting interaction with fellow students.

The module will cover the following themes:
• Marketing planning and implementation – Includes market research, identifying good business opportunities, 4Ps of marketing management, and the basics of creating and delivering value to customers.
• Competitive market strategies – Covers different approaches to competing in a marketplace, how to be better than your competitors, developing sustainable competitive advantage.
• Product development – basics of new product development.
• Routes to market and multichannel marketing – Retailing and sales channel selection and management.
• Operations Management, including distribution networks and stock management.
• Financial Planning, including pricing decisions and cost management.
• Managing employees for competitive advantage – How employees can be the source of sustainable competitive advantage, employee development and empowerment to foster creativity and breakthrough ideas, rewards & recognition.
• Introduction to promotional strategy – Introduction to marketing communications, and different promotional methods /tools.
• Introduction to digital and social-media marketing – Covers the digital consumer-space, and how to engage customers and build brands online.
• Marketing-related legislation – Deals with legal aspects of marketing, and basics of marketing ethics.

How will I learn on this module?

You will learn through taught online workshops, tutor guidance and feedback, and independent directed and self-directed learning.

The interactive workshop sessions provided online via the module Blackboard portal will provide you with a theoretical underpinning of the module content, supported by online interactive discussion. These workshops will cover a range of key theoretical concepts in Marketing (with a special focus on digital marketing) and how they link to Business Strategy, Operations & Supply Chain Management, Financial Planning, and Human Resource Management. This is in recognition that you may have joined this course from a variety of non-business, as well as business disciplines. The workshops therefore will take an introductory and strategic management outlook to essential business management functions.
The module has a supporting reading list that provides you with an opportunity to see how theories from these different areas can be applied to build and enhance strategic marketing development. Your directed study will support the work you have undertaken in the interactive sessions. Independent learning time is set aside for learning activities, self-identified by you, to gain a deeper and broader knowledge of the subject. You may undertake further reading. Independent learning will be based upon your own initiative in further exploring and researching areas of interest including strategic marketing, business strategy, and digital marketing. Reflective learning and regular discussions with peers, tutors, and industry professionals (where possible) will be an integral part of independent learning

The continuous practical nature of the interactive workshops and the online discussion boards means that tutor (formative) feedback will be received continuously, via the online discussion board and Blackboard Collaborate. Discussion board evaluations, tutor and peer feedback and directed learning activity provide formative assessment.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

Your learning is supported by a Teaching and Learning Plan, offering guidance on reading to prepare for workshops and help with the completion of the assessment. Within this plan there are also suggested learning activities, which guide you in your independent learning. These activities allow you to reflect and evaluate your knowledge and skills and in this area. Throughout, the emphasis will be on high levels of student participation, both individually and within small groups or teams via the discussion board and Blackboard Collaborate.

Support will be provided to you by a member of academic staff leading the module and providing the interactive workshop input. The module tutor will support the online discussion board and may be contacted individually or by groups of students via the discussion board and Blackboard Collaborate. This support is part of the module’s e-learning portal, which houses workshop materials, case studies and how-to multimedia & text files.

You will also receive with a wide-ranging electronic reading list that comprises of various books, conference papers and journal articles that showcase the application of various enterprise skills in the module.

The module assessment consists of a 4000-word individual report, which will be distributed at the start of your teaching semester. You can develop the report through ongoing discussion and support by means of the discussion board and Blackboard Collaborate. This will encourage your active participation in the learning process throughout the semester. Your report represents 100% of the assessed work on this module.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:
• MLO1: Gain a critical understanding of strategic business functions and particularly how marketing decisions fit into the context of business strategy.
• MLO2: Critically appraise the opportunities and challenges posed by the digital marketplace.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO3: Design, implement, and evaluate marketing strategies that are integrated with key business functions.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• MLO4: Critically evaluate the impact that marketing decisions has on related business functions
• MLO5: Develop an awareness of and critically appraise the regulatory and ethical landscape faced by digital marketing professionals.

How will I be assessed?

Formative assessment will take place through group work, assignment discussion and reflection, case study activity, and interactive (discussion board based) theory/practice related discussions.

Criteria will be provided to enable you to understand what is expected in the assignment and how you will be assessed on your performance.

The summative assessment is an individual assignment. The assessment is a written business report providing an evaluation of a chosen area of digital marketing strategy, based on independent market research. (4,000 words) which is submitted at the end of the module. This assessment component is worth 100% of the module mark. This assesses MLO1-MLO5 inclusive.

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

Strategic Marketing broadly includes, market research and assessing the business environment, developing lucrative products, and appropriately promoting and delivering this product to the customer. However, there are many other business functions that play a role in all of this. For example, the finance department will have to monitor and manage the organisation’s costs and revenues; the HR department will have to recruit and develop suitable staff. Most importantly, digital technologies now play a key role in the success of a business.

This module will give you the ability to take an overarching (strategic) perspective of an organisation and its operations. You will develop an appreciation for making different types of business decisions and assess their impact on your business’ performance through a series of interactive workshops, supported by online discussion with the module tutor and fellow students. The aim is to develop you to become modern-day business managers who can appreciate the complexities of business decision-making in an increasingly digital world.

All activities contribute towards a final assessment, which is a 4,000-word individual report providing an evaluation of a chosen area of digital strategy.

Course info

Credits 20

Level of Study Postgraduate

Mode of Study 2 years Part-Time Distance Learning
2 other options available

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start Upcoming Intakes - Academic Year 23/24: Apr 24, July 24

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

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