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REFERRAL
ASSESSMENT
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

Referral Assessment Brief:

YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING EMAIL FROM YOUR BOSS

(THE MARKETING MANAGER) IN THE COMPANY (Force GYM)
THAT WAS THE CONTEXT FOR CW1 &/or CW2
(one of FIVE companies - manufacturers and distributers of large ranges
(1,000 to 11,000+) items (highly specialised medical equipment / Beauty
Equipment and Salon Furniture / Fitness Equipment / Engineering Tools /
Agricultural Tools or an approved company).

EMAIL

Our company has been asked to prepare a report for the National Association
of Manufacturers (http://www.nam.org/) on the theme: The Importance of
Marketing Creativity and Innovation.
This Management Report should not exceed 3,000 words.

Please note:
It is worthwhile looking at the various reports within the website of this
Association to have an overview of format and style.
Students can also choose to develop their own format and style as
appropriate to a management report.
However, as this is an academic submission it is expected that a theoretical
underpinning will be in evidence and sources will be used (which must be
acknowledged using Harvard referencing).

Guidance Notes:

- students should review carefully all the annotated feedback and mark
sheets from CW2 Individual Assignment.

The emphasis in this Referral assignment for the Individual Assessment is for
a student to consider the importance of Marketing Creativity and Innovation.

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It is expected that there will be evidence of understanding creativity and

innovation and showing why it is important.

A consideration of the benefits / advantages (as well as the limitations /

disadvantages) of creativity and innovation may be useful and indeed could
be organised as a theoretical underpinning. As the request for the report has
been made to a specific company, it is also expected that this will be the basis
of most / some of the contextualisation / use of examples to illustrate points.

It is important to put forward a balanced assessment (considering aspects of

creativity and innovation from both theoretical and applied perspectives) to
evidence clearly how these are of value / importance

There is NO requirement for a narrative description or a compilation

summation of all the creativity and innovation theory covered during the
module and students should not simply provide an explanation of various
creativity and innovation theories

It is important not to digress into trying to explore in depth exactly what

creativity and innovation are or giving a detailed rationale for how creativity
and innovation could be embedded in the company efficiently (where the
focus is very much on how / on the process) and effectively (where the
emphasis needs to be on what creativity can achieve for the company / the
outcomes, results).

It is expected that the management report will be primarily based on very

thorough secondary data collection use of primarily academic but also some
non-academic sources. However, interviews with practising managers or a
students own knowledge and expertise may be used. As mentioned
previously, a careful review of all the feedback provided CW2 will be helpful.

The assignment is organised to meet the Learning Outcomes of the Module.

Thus students will demonstrate a systematic understanding of the current
concepts / theories and methodological approaches / processes to creativity
and innovation (Learning Outcome 1). Students will also be able to explore
how creativity in marketing has value as well as showing an understanding of
the mechanisms being considered to evaluate the impact and performance of
creativity in marketing (Learning Outcome 4). Some indication is required of
an ability to apply design / creative thinking through understanding how
creative practice and innovation can improve product and service (and
organisational) development (Learning Outcome 2). Finally, students will also
indicate how creativity can be embedded into an organisation (Learning
Outcome 3).

MARKING GUIDELINES:

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The (Individual) MANAGEMENT REPORT will be specifically assessed

on the following criteria:

Structure and format appropriate to management report

10%
Evidence of understanding creativity and innovation
(theoretical underpinning)
20%
Critical evaluation of the importance of marketing creativity
and innovation
.40%
Solid application to the context / fictional company and/or
use of examples
.....20%
Presentation and style (attention to detail)
. 10%

MANAGEMENT REPORT - PRESENTATION GUIDELINES:

The word count excludes words used as part of tables, graphs, appendices
and the bibliography. This word limit of 3,000 words means students will have
about six to eight sides of written text in which to evaluate and apply
(illustrate the practical applications) - assuming 400-450 words per page.
Thus careful use of tables, graphs and appendices is permissible to flesh out
the arguments / discussion. For example, two or three mini case studies
vignettes- might be integrated into the text: this allows references to real
life examples while (a) keeping the discussion in the text clear and to the
point and (b) allowing the word limit to be met.

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