Marketing Innovations

Assignment

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Two Assessment methods:

I.

Group Presentation (30%) :

The group presentation will assess students ability to:

1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding and awareness of new insights of
contemporary marketing management issues pertaining to the development and
launch of innovative new products and/or new services (Knowledge, Understanding
and Learning); and
2. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding and critical evaluation of customer
psychology and its impact on the adoption and diffusion of innovation (Enquiry,
Analysis, Application and Collaboration).
II.

Individual Assessment (70%): A Marketing Plan for an innovative product

and/or services.

The individual assessment will be one written assignment designed to encourage you to
formulate a strategic marketing plan for an innovative product and/or service and it will
assess students ability to:
3. Demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with critical
evaluation of contemporary global developments in marketing innovative new
products and the application of sustainability, corporate social responsibility,
ecommerce and ethical aspects of marketing innovative new product and/or services.
(Application, Problem-solving and Analysis); and
4. Develop marketing strategies to introduce and manage innovative new product and/or
new services (Application and Communication).

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Assignment

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Assignment I: Background The Innovation Team

You are a team of marketing consultants whose client is a Small-Medium Enterprise (SME)
that has developed an innovative product and/or service that is environmentally friendly
within the leisure sector over the last 8 months.
Your SME client requires the expertise of your team to help bring this innovation to the
global market. Your SME client will require the team to suggest new insights of
contemporary marketing management practices pertaining to the development and launch of
this innovative product and/or service.
Your SME client would also need the team to undertake relevant research of the global target
consumers buyer behaviour, and this will need to include acritical evaluation of the customer
psychology and the impact on the adoption and diffusion of this innovative product and/or
services.
You must also read widely and carry out independent research. It will be useful to undertake
preliminary marketing research (mainly secondary at this point) and also undertake extensive
reading prior to your presentation to your SME client.
Instructions for Group Presentation:
1. This is a GROUP presentation assessment (3-4 maximum per group)

Presentations will take place as per dates decided by the tutor in collaboration with the
students.

The length of the presentation is 20 minutes (it includes 5 minutes for Q&A).

You must use PowerPoint to prepare your presentation.

You must hand-in hardcopies of your PowerPoint slides (3 slides per page) plus
separate list of any sources and academic references that you have used. Please use
the Harvard Referencing system.

Make sure you are on time for your presentation, late comers will be penalised. Do
not run over the time allocated to you as you will be penalised.

All group members must take part in the presentation.

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Assignment

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Bring a copy of the presentation assessment sheet (attached) to the presentation,

with group members names clearly listed on it.

The presentation assessment feedback sheet (attached) indicates the factors which will be
assessed. The assessment sheet is just a tick list you will also receive a copy of your
PowerPoint slides with written feedback from the lecturer. The module lecturer(s) will
complete the assessment after the close of each presentation. Each group will receive written
feedback and grading within 2/3 weeks of making the presentation. Grades will normally be
distributed equally to all presenters in the group, however, lower grades may be given to
individuals if, in the opinion of the lecturer(s), there is a large variation in contribution
between participants.
All group members need to be prepared for probing questions by the lecturer(s). These will
be asked not just to test your understanding of the innovative idea but also to assess your
ability to integrate theory and practice. Group members who, in the opinion of the lecturer,
have not contributed equally to the presentation can expect to be asked additional questions.

Group Presentation Feedback Sheet

Assessment I: Group Presentation (30% weighting)
Learning Team:

1.
3.

2.
4.

Presentation (10%)
Excellen

Good

Adequat

Poor

e
Quality of presentation.
Clarity of structure.
Expression and use of language.

Research and Understanding (40%)

Excellen

Good

Adequat

Poor

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e
Understanding of models and concepts.
Integration of theory and contemporary practice.
Clear reference to credible sources.

Critical Analysis and Evaluation (50%)

Excellen

Good

Adequat

Poor

e
A systematic approach to analysis and evaluation.
A sustained coherent analytical ability.
A convincing argument.

Recommended Grade for Assignment

The grades are subject to internal moderation. They may not reflect the final grade assigned
to your work by the examination board.
Specific Grade (provisional):
Comments:

Marketing Innovations

Assignment

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Assessment II: Individual Written Assignment - A Strategic Marketing Plan (70%

weighting)
Assignment tasks
You will be able to work on the same product and/or service innovation idea that your group
has presented to the SME client, however you will need to formulate a marketing plan for a
different market sector (for example, in a different new segment; or a new segment in a
different country; or a different application) to that of your other team members.
It is recommended that you focus on a single product/service or one market sector, not a class
or family of products/services. The reason for restricting your marketing plan to a single
product and/or service or one market sector is that each product/service of a company will
have a somewhat different target market (s) and set of competitors, as well as potentially
being impacted on by various environmental factors.
Assessment Requirements:
A written marketing plan in (report format) of 2,000 words that synthesises and critically
evaluates marketing management issues pertaining to an innovative product and/or service.
State the number of words used at the end of the assignment. You may include diagrams,
figures, appendices etc. without word penalty. A sliding scale of penalties for excess length
will be imposed.
The penalties will be as follows:
Up to 10% excess words: no penalty
11-20% excess words: - 5% penalty
21-30% excess words: -10% penalty
31% plus excess words: cannot achieve more than a pass grade (50%).

Instructions for individual assignment:

1. This is an individual assignment a written marketing plan.
2. The word count for this assignment is 2,000 words excluding appendices, diagrams,
tables and bibliography (Penalties will be applied in cases where the word limit is grossly
exceeded.

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Assignment

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3. You are allowed up to 4 pages of appendices (for supporting materials only)

4. The assignment must be typewritten (word processed) and in a font size of no less than 12
points.
5. You must reference any material that you use. You must also include a bibliography.
Please use Harvard Referencing style.
6. Your written assignment must be submitted on 19 October 2015 to the Faculty
administrator.
7. Assignments must be submitted by the due date. The only circumstance in which
assignments can be submitted late is if an extenuating circumstances form is submitted
before the due date. If the extenuating circumstances are upheld, the assignment will be
marked; otherwise a 0 mark will be awarded. You are strongly advised to keep your
personal tutor informed of any circumstances that might give rise to an extenuating
circumstances claim.
8. University rules will be strictly applied in the event of plagiarism/late submission.

Individual Marketing Plan (in report format):

Your marketing plan must include:
1. A clear outline of your key area of innovation and the objectives you hope to achieve;
2. A market overview and analyses - summary of key micro and macro-environmental issues
facing organisations competing within the global market; outlining the impact of issues
faced within the global marketplace, concentrating on the opportunities for market growth
or the situations that may cause the market to contract; identify and review close and
distant competitors;
3. Market segmentation with the segment outlined and analysed;
4. Marketing objectives: strategic focus which should include recommendations and
justifications of future growth strategies, prioritising the options you identify according to
a market-based rationale using at least one growth model to structure your
recommendations. Ensure that you draw upon the opportunities and threats identified and
that consistency within segmentation analysis is retained. You will also need to include
critical evaluation of contemporary global developments and the application of
sustainability, corporate social responsibility, ecommerce and ethical aspects of marketing
innovative product and/or services.

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Assignment

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5. Marketing strategies for your innovative product and/or services: market coverage,
market targeting, differentiation and positioning strategies (STP), marketing mix
strategies; and
6. Building on your marketing strategies, include a brief discussion on resource
requirements for taking the product and/or service to market.
Note: it is recommended that you focus the implementation of the marketing mix on a
single innovative product and/or service or a single market sector. This is because each
product/service or market sector can have different target markets and competitors and
may even be affected differently by the same set of environmental factors.
Please ensure that you read the guidelines and assessment criteria carefully.

Report Guidelines:
1. A written marketing plan must be compiled in a suitable format that must incorporate the
following:
1. A clear and concise outline of the practical marketing innovation issues;
2. Generation of conclusions and recommendations that draw upon both theoretical and
practical aspects;
3. Use of appropriate terminology that will indicate a thorough understanding of innovation
and marketing management concepts;
4. Suitable referencing of the materials used to support arguments put forward that will
indicate competence in the academic issues discussed;
5. Evidence to suggest a more in-depth understanding of innovation and marketing concepts
being reviewed and their practical applications;
6. Written content and structure that will demonstrate practical benefits being derived from
the module, reading lists and research required for this individual assessment;
7. A wide range of reliable sources used or cited (a minimum of 5) and they should be
current (not before 2000).
8. You must reference any material that you use. You must also include a bibliography.
Please use the Harvard Referencing System.

Assessment II:

Marketing Innovations

Assignment

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Individual Marketing Plan Marking Scheme

Criteria
Demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge,

Marks
30

together with critical evaluation of contemporary global

developments in marketing innovative new products and
the

application

of

sustainability,

corporate

social

responsibility, ecommerce and ethical aspects of marketing

innovative new product and/or services
Develop marketing strategies to introduce and manage

60

innovative new product and/or new services

Presentation: produce a succinct analysis; structure;

10

terminology; breadth of research and readings; wide range

of relevant credible sources; proper referencing.
Total

100

Your marketing plan must include:

7. A clear outline of your key area of innovation and the objectives you hope to achieve;
8. A market overview and analyses - summary of key micro and macro-environmental issues
facing organisations competing within the global market; outlining the impact of issues
faced within the global marketplace, concentrating on the opportunities for market growth
or the situations that may cause the market to contract; identify and review close and
distant competitors;
9. Market segmentation with the segment outlined and analysed;
10. Marketing objectives: strategic focus which should include recommendations and
justifications of future growth strategies, prioritising the options you identify according to
a market-based rationale using at least one growth model to structure your
recommendations. Ensure that you draw upon the opportunities and threats identified and
that consistency within segmentation analysis is retained. You will also need to include
critical evaluation of contemporary global developments and the application of
sustainability, corporate social responsibility, ecommerce and ethical aspects of marketing
innovative product and/or services.

Marketing Innovations

Assignment

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11. Marketing strategies for your innovative product and/or services: market coverage,
market targeting, differentiation and positioning strategies (STP), marketing mix
strategies; and
12. Building on your marketing strategies, include a brief discussion on resource
requirements for taking the product and/or service to market.