Aims

- To enhance students’ multifaceted understanding of dynamic global macro-marketing environment (through economic, technological, political and cultural discourses) and major drivers of change, by providing them with knowledge on key theoretical models and examples from international business practice.
- To encourage evaluative, research-led way of thinking and creative approach in analysing complex global marketing problems and justifying decisions by taking into consideration theoretical, practical and ethical perspectives; e.g. to appraise ongoing standardisation vs. customisation (localisation) debate in global marketing.
- To equip students with advanced level key skills for a global marketer and ability to apply them in various sectors and organisations worldwide: analytical skills necessary for designing and conducting independent marketing research as basis for decision-making in international context; effective communication skills and ability to work in cross-cultural teams and organisations, by expanding and practicing resilience and cross cultural sensitisation.

Outline Of Syllabus

Semester 1
•       Decision to Internationalise - Key Considerations
•       Deciding Which Markets to Enter, Assessing Market Potential and Choosing Target Markets and Segments
-       Analysis of Global Political Environment
-       Analysis of Global Economic Environment
- Analysis of Global Technological Environment
-       Analysis of Global Socio-Cultural Environment
     

Semester 2
•       Entering International Markets - Choosing Appropriate Strategies and Modes of Entry
•       Designing the Global Marketing Programme: Standardization vs. Customization
-       Product Decisions and Branding in Global Marketing
-       Pricing and Distribution Decisions
-       Marketing Communications Decisions (traditional and digital)
•       Implementing and coordinating the global Marketing Programme - Key Considerations

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching and learning on the module will commence with the first scheduled session for the whole cohort, dedicated to Introduction to the module, with explanation of its relevance, learning aims and outcomes, teaching and assessment methods and will provide opportunities for students to ask questions and get answers.

The module adopts the Harvard approach to learning: lectures convey the essential theories and are supported by a wide range of examples and illustrations from business practice of global companies. These examples and illustrations are embedded in the lectures and also offered through structured research and reading activities, non-synchronous discussions, with aim to clarify and complement the material.

The small group teaching sessions, seminars, are focused on analysis of case studies prepared by the Module Leader and designed to offer students the opportunity of thought-provoking discussion in topical issues in global marketing.

One of the scheduled teaching sessions in each semester is reserved for pre-assessment clinic, for instructor to provide formative assessment to students (e.g. joint analysis of good and bad practice/approach examples followed by discussion).


Guided independent study is focused on guided reading of specific chapters/articles suggested by instructors to enhance student independent learning and motivate them to conduct their own secondary data search via independent study.
As assessment methods include written assignment, guided independent study is also focused on development of academic writing skills, including appropriate use of relevant academic resources and producing written outputs in professional marketing report format. For assessment preparation, students will get precise and specific guidance on each of the learning sessions, as starting points for their further exploration.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The written examination in semester 1 and business report in semester 2 are designed to directly match intended learning outcomes and offer different assessment formats to students.

The summative assessment in semester 1, written examination, tests the students’ comprehension of used teaching/learning material and their ability to implement fundamental and cutting edge marketing models/theories to investigate, interpret and relate economic, technological, political and cultural global marketing environments impacting on organisations, their decisions to internationalise and modes of internationalisation. It also tests their skills and ability to conduct an individual marketing research and present findings derived from different data sources in a professional format.
This assessment tests the attainment of first intended knowledge learning outcome and second intended skills learning outcome.
There will be multiple opportunities for formative assessment in semester 1 - practical tasks on seminars and VLE quizzes and mock-exam questions with feedback provision. Special session, exclusively dedicated to assessment preparation, in form of pre-assessment clinic will be organised as well and will include group analysis of good/bad practices, examples and approaches to answering assessment-type questions appropriately, with focus on critical analysis.

The summative assessment in semester 2, business report, requires students to demonstrate analytical skills and apply them to different aspects of global marketing theory and practice to achieve research informed decision making in varying situations in international context with consideration of ethical and sustainability dimensions linked to global marketing activities. It tests the second intended learning outcome of this module, as well as both skills intended outcomes.
Similarly to semester 1, there will be multiple formative assessment opportunities in semester 2. Seminar tasks will mimic the tasks required to be performed by students in the summative assessment, as the business report assignment encompasses several tasks that students need to engage with (which will be detailed on lectures and seminars). In pre-assessment clinic in semester 2 instructors will present good and bad practice examples in writing business report and additional key guidance.

Group work, predominantly in seminars, will encourage peer learning and interactions, especially valuable for students who haven't experienced these forms of assessment before, and will also facilitate provision of feedback for instructor to each student group.

The summative assessments in semester 1 and 2 provide possibility for students to do a continuous research. Namely, they are encouraged to explore same examples, reflect on same organisations in semesters 1 and 2, which enables them to do an in-depth analysis and potentially prepare for dissertation writing/consultancy project as the final step of their studies.