Marketing with an Industrial Placement - MSc

This module advances students' knowledge on core innovation management theories and new product development practice. It is based around understanding of the nature of sustainable innovation and ability to identify the relevance and potential for sustainable innovation in value-creating, consumer-driven businesses. Indicative topics may include:

a) Innovation Management (e.g. innovation typologies / degrees of innovation, models of innovation and innovation management),

b) Innovation Systems (e.g. people, leadership and organisation structures for innovation),

c) Innovation Performance (e.g. determining how innovative an organisation is),

d) New Product Development (e.g. how to define and quickly implement concepts for new products, services and processes)

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According to the traditional marketing concept, the Consumer is at the heart of all marketing activities. Thus, how consumers and organisations buy, own, consume and dispose of products, brands, marketplace communities, and experiences is the heart of marketing. Consumption is researched by a diverse array of disciplines including economics, anthropology, psychology, sociology and cultural studies, (human) geography, history and linguistics and political science. This interdisciplinarity has brought great depth and complexity to marketing's understanding of consumption.

Although the focus of this module is consumer behaviour, organisational behaviour will also be explored. Students will develop an understanding of how theories relating to consumer and organisation decision-making, and buyer behaviour inform marketing practice. There will be an emphasis on (i) a micro-level analysis, which relates to more immediate or individual aspects of Consumer and organisational buying behaviour; and (ii) the macro-level, relating to how the broader environment and cultural issues influence consumption.

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This module provides an overview of key topics in generating customer insight using contemporary marketing data and will provide students with the platform to understand the importance and use of information for making marketing decisions. While this module will cover concepts in customer insights and marketing research, its focus will be on i) providing students with an understanding of how customer insights fit into the contemporary marketing framework, and ii) understanding and interpreting the use of customer insight information and tools.

Indicative topics may include:

• What is marketing research and the role of customer insight

• The role of buyers and sellers in generating customer insights

• The marketing research industry and its role in developing customer insights

• Qualitative and quantitative techniques in generating effective customer insights

• Secondary data and marketing intelligence

• Observational techniques and data

• Experiments and test marketing

• Questionnaire design and implementation

• Cross cultural issues in developing customer insights

• Communicating customer insights effectively to the client

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Managers all over the world now realize that businesses are becoming increasingly global. In particular, marketing managers acknowledge the interconnected and interdependent world in which the consumers of their products and services live. For most companies therefore, it is no longer enough to cater to domestic markets and cultures any more, as the products and services originate from and are consumed daily in different parts of the globe. This makes it important for marketing managers to understand the complexity and diversity of cross-cultural marketing, in order to leverage the opportunities that exist in local and international markets.

This module will combine lectures and seminars to present, transfer, discuss and summarise intercultural marketing concepts and frameworks. Indicative topics are:

• Analysis of cultural conditions in global markets

• Cross-cultural Marketing research

• Identification of International segments and niche markets

• Executing marketing mix strategies across international cultures

• Consumer Behaviour across international cultures

• Making sustainable and ethical marketing decisions across international cultures

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Employers are in search for individuals who possess logical thinking, analytical capability, leadership, communication and the ability to work under pressure. This module develops the necessary research knowledge and skills for students to be able to successfully complete a piece of research in industry or consultancy contexts or academia.

Indicative topics are:

• Choosing the topic of interest and literature review

• Research process and Ethics in in business research

• Choosing your research design

• Preparing the research proposal

• Communicating the Research

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Topics are:

- Marketing planning

- The market: understanding and analysing the marketing environment

- Segmentation, targeting and positioning

- Marketing research

- Understanding customers and buyer behaviour

- The organisation: marketing strategy and ethics

- The marketing mix (goods and services)

- New product development

- Marketing communications

- Pricing

- Marketing channels

- Contemporary issues in marketing

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The module provides a basic understanding of how accounting information can be used to interpret the financial position and performance of a business in an international scenario. It will also develop key skills in relation to how accounting information can inform planning and control decisions in multinational companies. The key principles and international standards upon which financial accounting is based and the form and content of the main financial statements prepared by different types of businesses, with a focus on public limited companies will be studied. The importance of corporate governance in modern businesses and the financial situation and performance of a global corporation by means of ratio analysis will be analysed as well as the importance of cost information for decision making purposes. This module covers the key internationally recognised management accounting techniques that modern businesses use for short-term and long-term decision making.

Indicative areas of the syllabus include:

• Concepts underpinning accounting systems and financial statements

• The construction of the primary financial statements and their interpretation and evaluation

• Classification and behaviour of costs and their use in short-term and long-term decision making

• Responsibility accounting systems and performance appraisal measures, including the balanced scorecard and budgeting

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The module examines the main methods of marketing communications. Strengths and weakness of marketing communications channels will be analysed as well as their suitability and effectiveness. The module systematically evaluates the principles, methods and strategies of marketing communications. The role of message content, format and source will be discussed as well as psychological processes involved in consumers' processing of and response to advertising. The module will discuss how different marketing communications platforms can be combined to reach specific objectives.

Indicative topics are:

• The communications process

• Advertising

• Strategy and media planning

• Image, brand management and packaging

• Direct marketing

• Digital and interactive media

• Sales promotion, merchandising and point of sale

• Public relations and corporate identity

• Exhibitions, trade shows, product placement and sponsorship

• Personal selling and sales management

• The implications of digital marketing communications are included in the above topics

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Business failures in the global financial sector, and the subsequent repercussions for a range of different groups, not just shareholders, have put the spotlight on the role of business and the behaviour of managers. Is business just responsible for maximising profit for its owners, or does it have responsibilities to other groups? This raises a number of difficult questions; which groups? responsible for what? And if so, how to discharge these responsibilities?

This module has three main aims:

• To develop critical thought, insight and debate regarding the changing role of business in today's society.

• To broaden your views on the role of business in society.

• To provide you with the tools, skills and knowledge to manage responsibly.

The nature of the topic is constantly changing and evolving; therefore the module will be subject to continual refinement according to developments in industry, government and academia.

Indicative topics are:

• Definitions of Corporate Responsibility

• The Role of Business and Society

• Theories of Corporate Responsibility

• Ethics Theory

• Business Ethics and Corporate Governance

• Areas of Corporate Responsibility

• Firm Level Responses

• Social Accounting

• Criticisms of Corporate Responsibility

• Social Entrepreneurship

• Sustainability

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The module aims to equip students with advanced knowledge to lead and participate in the digital marketing efforts of organisations. It is based around the idea of digital business models and how they can be used to both attract and retain customers in an increasingly competitive environment. The module will also show how digital marketing analytics can enable organisations to make data driven decisions.

Indicative topics are:

The digital marketing environment;

Enabling technologies for digital marketing;

Digital business models

Social media;

Customers in the Internet age: knowing, reaching & retaining the customer;

Network effects and versioning

Loyalty, Customer Relationship Management and Data Mining;

Data protection, privacy and legal issues;

Digital marketing and globalisation

Awareness of some commonly used digital business applications and analytics models

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The aim of this highly practical module is to give students an intensive grounding in analytics modelling and hands-on experience in using industry-standard spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel®) to structure, analyse and solve a variety of problems encountered in business and management.

Students will learn how to build practical analytics models using descriptive analytics techniques to visualise and interpret data; predictive analytics techniques to predict future outcomes and trends; and prescriptive analytics techniques, such as optimisation and decision analysis, to support decision making in complex situations.

Students will be exposed to a variety of case studies that will prepare them to be data-driven managers and executives capable of utilising analytics for business value creation. Practical demonstrations will include examples in finance (e.g., optimal investment strategies, portfolio optimisation), human resources (e.g., staff scheduling, workforce planning, employee performance management), marketing (e.g., product development, customer classification, marketing campaigns optimisation), supply chain management (e.g., optimal transport routing, production scheduling) and project management (e.g., task scheduling, resource planning, project completion time optimisation).

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This module introduces students to the area of global value chain (GVC) and its implications for different types of business enterprises (multinational enterprises (MNEs), suppliers, small, large), with a special focus on key theoretical and empirical academic publications as well as available datasets. GVCs are transforming the nature of trade, and it has brought both opportunities and challenges for business enterprises around the world. Such an understanding of GVCs is vital for managers to develop optimal relationships with their value chains partners, adapt to changing business circumstances, and make responsible decisions.

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In today's competitive and global economy, companies are turning to project management to consistently deliver business results. Increased number of international and complex projects brings with it a growing demand for project management specialists, according to Project Management Institute (PMI). This module introduces the principles and practice of project management in a global context. The module aims to:

Equip you with project management tools, techniques and management issues, focusing on key challenges that arise from managing complex projects, such as with regards to project time, quality and cost, resource constraints, stakeholder analysis, cultural diversity and teamwork.

Analyse contemporary project management issues and employ a range of established and innovative methodologies for adequate project plan, execution and control;

Critically analyse risks in projects, develop sustainable contingency plans and demonstrate ability to set reasonable and achievable deadlines and milestones across different project tasks with due consideration to economic, social, and environmental aspects surrounding a project.

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Under the guidance of a subject specialist (an allocated supervisor) this module involves the identification of a complex and substantive marketing problem which can be framed within relevant academic literature. The identified problem and subsequent research questions will enable students to collect and analyse primary and/or secondary data, to develop well thought out arguments along with supportable conclusions and recommendations. This module concludes the MSc Marketing studies and enables the acquisition of research-led skills essential for any future marketing expert.

There are two options for the marketing report: a consultancy report (which looks at a firm and/or industry problem) as well as a traditional academic report – a dissertation.

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Students will spend a period of time working in an industrial or organisational setting, applying and enhancing the skills and techniques they have learned on the programme. Work will be carried out under the direction of a placement supervisor. This support will include ensuring that the work they are expected to do within the placement company/organisation meets the learning outcomes of the module.

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Students will spend a period of time working in an industrial or organisational setting, applying and enhancing the skills and techniques they have learned on the MSc in Business Analytics programme. Work will be carried out under the direction of an industrial supervisor and supported by a dedicated Placement Support Officer within the School. This support will include ensuring that the work they are expected to do within the placement company/organisation meets the learning outcomes of the module.

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Students will spend a period of time working in an industrial or organisational setting, applying and enhancing the skills and techniques they have learned on the MSc in Business Analytics programme. Work will be carried out under the direction of an industrial supervisor and supported by a dedicated Placement Support Officer within the School. This support will include ensuring that the work they are expected to do within the placement company/organisation meets the learning outcomes of the module.

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Students will spend a period of time working in an industrial or organisational setting, applying and enhancing the skills and techniques they have learned on the MSc in Business Analytics programme. Work will be carried out under the direction of an industrial supervisor and supported by a dedicated Placement Support Officer within the School. This support will include ensuring that the work they are expected to do within the placement company/organisation meets the learning outcomes of the module.

Find out more about BUSN9171

Students will spend a period of time working in an industrial or organisational setting, applying and enhancing the skills and techniques they have learned on the MSc in Business Analytics programme. Work will be carried out under the direction of an industrial supervisor and supported by a dedicated Placement Support Officer within the School. This support will include ensuring that the work they are expected to do within the placement company/organisation meets the learning outcomes of the module.

Find out more about BUSN9172