Assessment Task 3: Individual Analysis and Reflection
Submission Date: HANOI - March 20th, 2017, 23:59 (Upload file to Turn It In)
SAIGON – (Week 11) May 6th, 2017, 23:59 (Upload file to Turn It In)
Word limit: 2000 words
Weighting: 40%
The first two assignments are designed to build off each other in terms of applying marketing theories, analysis of data and reaching decisions. This individual report builds off the knowledge of strategy application gained in your Group submissions.

The assignment below is set up for a study of how a real organisation applies a specific marketing theory. Hence select an organisation where you are working now or have worked before. Where you are not able to draw upon either of these possible sources, then select a well-known organisation such as Apple or Google. Make use of the RMIT online data bases to search for and acquire detailed secondary data about the selected organisation and the market in which it operates.
This study should be an accurate record and analysis of the current marketing situation that is being faced by the organisation. The main aim of using this study method is to allow you the opportunity to translate theory into practice in a live, real-world business situation by recommending no more than TWO changes in marketing practice that could sustain and possibly enhance organisational performance. The marketing situation should reflect the uncertainty of the real-­-world marketing environment, and the reality of the current business situation. You will have to master the art of sifting through all types of information, which is often incomplete, not presented in the correct order, and may even be irrelevant or misleading, to solve the problems posed.
You may find, and be frustrated by the fact, that in some situations there appears to be no single “right” solution to the problem. There are likely to be multiple approaches, each one with a different implication for the organisation, and each involving different trade-­-offs.
Since this study problem may be approached at times from different perspectives, your main task will be to argue correctly the logic of your analysis and findings to the problems at hand. The importance of this study exercise is to emphasise how you arrived at your solution, rather than just emphasise the solution itself.
Assignment Guidance
This assignment asks you to analyse the current situation of a real world organisation. Analyse, review and critically assess how the selected organisation applies a marketing theory/strategy.

The aim is to conduct the same analysis as in the group written assignment but apply this to your selected organisation, bringing the theory to be applied in a live, real-world situation. In this assignment, recommend no more than TWO changes to the way the theory is currently being applied that could sustain and possibly improve future performance. Justify your recommendations by using relevant academic and/or management literature to support them.
A key component of this assessment is your ability to present and apply relevant marketing theory which underpins your analysis. You will be assessed on your ability to research, present, and apply marketing theory, as well as your ability to think critically about the implications of marketing theory to practice.
If your selected organisation has multiple divisions and/or product lines (SBUs), to permit the assignment to remain manageable it is advisable to focus on just a single SBU and a single range of products. For example, Sony sells over 100,000 items, and it would not be feasible to consider all of them in one assignment! A workable level might be a single SBU or product line, such as “TV sets for household use.”
You will be assessed on your ability to conduct relevant research that supports your critical analysis, to synthesise internal organisational and external industry information and to communicate the key issues relevant to your chosen area of the organisation.
This assignment will develop your capability to research and analyse key issues relative to your organisation from a marketing perspective. The research you conduct will underpin your analysis and support your recommendations. The written assignment will demonstrate your achievement of a number of learning outcomes and in particular, your understanding of how marketing theory impacts the marketing aspect of the organisation.
Assignment Outline
Your report will include the following elements:
1. An introduction and SWOT analysis (300 words)
a. Briefly introduce the organisation and SBU followed by a SWOT analysis summarising the micro/macro forces affecting your chosen organisation and SBU.
2. Current Strategy (1500 words)
a. Briefly summarise the key elements of your analysis with regards to the application of the marketing theory as applied by the selected organisation.

b. Critically analyse your organisation’s current strategy application:
i. What is working well and what is not. Recommend changes (if any) to the strategy application.
ii. Impact on the current marketing strategy if changes are proposed.
iii. If you do not recommend changes, justify as to why not.
3. Conclusion (200 words)
A well-­-written paper will include strong support for its main arguments. Support for your report should come from secondary data sources (academic and business/market reports – use the Online Library and Marketing Databases). Use the following links to help you with report writing, academic writing and reflective writing.
To use your support effectively, you must elaborate upon the information, quotations, and examples taken from your sources and connect them to your paper. Make use of marketing terminology. It is also important to remember to cite the sources of the evidence and support you use in your paper. The following Disciplinary Conventions provide an overview of how to do this.
Disciplinary Conventions
Please ensure that you use marketing terminology and apply the marketing theories from a strategic perspective. A typical illustration for one of the areas from product strategy perspective is set out below:
“The complexity arising from homogeneity of physical equipment for clients across industry and the heterogeneity of services among clients within an industry requires high levels of product customization”.
Please understand that this shows one finite aspect from product strategy. A few possible areas of theories from product could be characteristics of the PLC, category of product (i.e. convenience, shopping, etc), product positioning, and breakdown of product (core, basic, expected, augmented and potential). You need to optimise your analysis by using theories relevant to the element of marketing strategy you are analysing.
Please ensure that your analysis is linked back to the theories of marketing that you are learning as part of this course. In other words, the marketing terminologies must be applied in your proposed strategies. Here is an example of practical application of theories into strategies:
“The repair services of the SBU are forecasted to move from the growth stage to the mature stage of the product life cycle. The focus at the mature stage of the product lifecycle should be to augment managed services to keep the product in the mature stage for as long as possible (Kotler and Keller, 2012), by providing more points of differentiation based on the SERVQUAL framework and so drive customer satisfaction and loyalty (Parasuraman et al., 1991).”
“The repair services use competition-based pricing as this sector is influenced primarily by price. Going Rate pricing should be used with Perceived-Value pricing and periodic discounting to win opportunities and gain market share.”
All citations and references should be in the Harvard Referencing Style. The example above shows the convention for in text citations. The example below shows the convention for references or bibliography:
Kotler, P.T., and Keller, K.L. (2012). Marketing Management (14th Ed.). New York: Prentice Hall.
Parasuraman, A; Berry, Leonard L; Zeithaml, Valarie A. (1991). Refinement and Reassessment of the SERVQUAL Scale. Journal of Retailing 67 (4) : p. 420-450

GRADING AND FEEDBACK: FINAL REPORT (INDIVIDUAL) - 40 MARKS
Performance Indicators
Performance
Levels

Criteria YET TO ACHIEVE MINIMUM STANDARD MEETS STANDARD EXCEEDS STANDARD
Fail
(0-­-49) Needs improvement
Pass
(50-­-59) Acceptable
Credit (60-­-69) Good
Distinction (70-­-79) Very good
High Distinction
(80-­-100) Exemplary
Introduction:
SBU and SWOT
(___/8)
Demonstrated understanding of business issues and the forces affecting professional marketing practice. Consistently uses
inappropriate and/or irrelevant content to develop and explore basic ideas and presents an unacceptable exposition of complex knowledge and ideas. Mostly uses
inappropriate and/or irrelevant content to develop and explore basic ideas and presents an unclear and incoherent exposition of complex knowledge and ideas. Moderately uses
Appropriate and relevant content to illustrate understanding of the subject or topic and presents a clear and independent exposition of complex knowledge and ideas although some gaps are evident. Mostly uses appropriate,
relevant, and compelling content to illustrate mastery of the subject or topic and presents a clear, coherent, independent and professional exposition of complex knowledge and ideas Consistently uses
appropriate, relevant, and compelling content to illustrate a mastery of the subject or topic and generates original knowledge and understanding, making a substantial contribution to a discipline or area of professional practice.
Current Strategy and solution (___/20)
Ability to critically and incisively discuss a business situation and relate this to relevant marketing theory. Supports analysis and discussion. Has too much difficulty
fully and independently defining the scope the situation. Has too much difficulty determining
key concepts. Types of information (sources) selected do not always relate to concepts. Defines the scope of a complex business situation but lacking clarity and too much generalisation. Determines key concepts. Types of information (sources) selected relate to concepts but are limited in scope. Independently defines the scope of a complex business situation and determines key concepts. Types of information (sources) selected directly relate to concepts but gaps are evident. Expertly and Independently defines
the scope of a complex business situation and determines key concepts and concepts chosen
are relevant. Types of information (sources) selected directly relate to concepts. Expertly and
independently defines the scope of a complex business situation and determines key concepts which are highly relevant. Academic and business sources selected directly relate to concepts.
Disciplinary
Conventions and Conclusion (___/6)
Demonstrates consistent use of marketing terminology and ability to apply marketing theories from a business perspective. Inconsistently uses
important conventions particular to the discipline or task, including organisation, content, presentation, referencing, and stylistic choices Satisfactorily uses a
range of important conventions particular to the discipline or task, including organisation, content, presentation, referencing, and stylistic choices but are limited in scope. Knowledgeably uses a range of important conventions particular to the discipline or task, including organisation, content, presentation, referencing, and stylistic choices but gaps are evident. Consistently
demonstrates detailed attention to and expert execution of a wide range of conventions particular to the discipline or task including organisation, content, presentation, referencing, and stylistic choices. Consistently and
intelligently demonstrates detailed attention to and expert execution of a wide range of conventions particular to the discipline or task including organisation, content, presentation, referencing, and stylistic choices.
Structure and Writing Skills: (___/6)
Planning & organisation of assignment;
Logical sequence/flow of topics;
clarity of content and direction;
use of examples to highlight/make a point.
Submission is poorly structured and does not conform to the academic writing convention. The majority of the support details are not in an expected or logical order, distracting the reader, making the submission very confusing. The transitions between the ideas are unclear and or inconsistent. Most of the sentences are poorly constructed, with little variation in sentence structure. Submission presents a weak structure and does not conform to the academic writing convention. Many of the support details are not in an expected or logical order, distracting the reader, making the paper confusing in most parts. Submission contains weak transitions and ideas are not well connected. Most of the sentences are poorly constructed, with little variation in sentence structure. Submission contains some structure and largely adopts the academic writing convention. A few of the support details are not in an expected or logical order, distracting the reader, making the paper confusing in parts. Some transitions work, but some connections between the ideas are weak. Some sentences are well constructed and contain some variation in sentence structure. Submission is well structured and written in the academic convention. Arguments and supporting discussion are largely presented in a logical order that makes it reasonably easy to read. Transitions show how ideas are connected, but there is little variety. Most sentences are well constructed with varied sentence structure.
Submission is well structured and written in the academic convention. Arguments and supporting discussion are presented in a logical order that makes it easy to read. A variety of transitions are used that clearly shows how ideas are connected. All sentences are well constructed with varied sentence structure.
Total: ________/40 0-­-49
Or equivalent (NN) 50-­-59
Or equivalent (PA) 60-­-69
Or equivalent (CR) 70-­-79
Or equivalent (DI) 80-­-100
Or equivalent (HD)
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