Course description
This programme will be offered in three distinct stages:
* Postgraduate Certificate in Marketing
* Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing
* MSc in International Marketing Strategy
Marketing is one of the most important management tasks, which if performed effectively is capable of making a major contribution to the performance of the organisation. During the past decade the nature and complexity of the marketing task has changed significantly largely as the result of:
* intensive global competition and emergence of global networks and alliances,
* total or partial removal of numerous political and market barriers
* the emergence of major trading blocs,
* general levels of economic and political volatility,
* fragmentation of world markets,
* changes in social and cultural values,
* the increased customer expectations for quality,
* increased emphasis upon product/market development,
* the shortening of product and market life cycles.
Therefore it is considered a fundamental requirement that future marketing managers understand the changing nature of today’s markets, and to be able to manage the marketing of products and services effectively and efficiently in an international environment.
Relationship to Professional Body
The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is recognised as the leading professional body for the marketing subject. The institute supports industry through professional recognition and support of its members whilst also offering marketing education to postgraduate level. A number of staff within the department of marketing, Lincoln Business School, have ‘Chartered Marketer’ membership status. Staff members also hold posts of responsibility for the institute serving as senior examiners and module leaders. Completion of the MSc International Marketing Strategy offers students advanced standing for CIM membership
Programme structure
Postgraduate Certificate in Marketing
Unit title: International Marketing Planning
A clear and detailed understanding of International Marketing Planning underpins the whole process of marketing analysis, implementation and control. International Marketing Planning is therefore one of the fundamental and most important management functions and philosophies. The unit reflects this and has been designed to provide students with a clear understanding of the strategic International Marketing Planning process, and of the ways in which marketing is capable of contributing to increase the effective performance of an organisation. In doing this, we focus upon the strategic and tactical management of the marketing function, with a particular emphasis being placed upon issues of marketing excellence, learning from best practice, and market-led strategic change.
Unit title: Managerial Finance
This course is intended to give a basic introduction to financial accounting and financial management. It covers diverse areas such as management accounting, pure finance and accounting and is intended to acquaint a non specialist with financial managerial skills.
Managerial finance commences with basic techniques for costing and break-even analysis and brings in the notion of pricing from a larger viewpoint viz. the market as well as from a strategic management view. It then moves on to analysing the twin problems in finance i.e. raising money (sources of finance) and investing it (project appraisal). Later it touches on financial analysis and budgeting and planning.
Upon successful completion of the unit, the student will be able to:
* Identify and analyse a company’s financial health
* Define and investigate the cost volume profit relationship within a firm.
* Evaluate investments taken by the firm
* Evaluate the role of cash and its affect on the firm
* Evaluate and explain theoretical framework of pricing strategies
* Identify the effect of international financial environment on the firm.
Unit Title: International Marketing Communications
International Marketing Communications is the process of informing, persuading and reminding customers, intermediaries, employers and publics of a company’s product and or services. The module defines the task of communications from a managerial perspective within an international context. The module principally focuses upon the nature of the communication process, the obstacles that are encountered in international communication and the ways in which these problems are overcome.
Unit Title: Marketing Research in a Global Context
This unit takes as its focus ‘marketing decision making’ and examines the use of marketing research and marketing information as a vital ingredient of the decision making process. It begins with the proposition that the key to generating the right data and information is asking the right questions. It then focuses on the whole area of research design and presents the proposition that good research is a function of good research design.
Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing
Unit Title: Cybermarketing
The unit will develop the students’ understanding of the increasing pressures and opportunities created by new media formats and electronic communication tools. This unit will enable students to explore the impact on organisations, with particular focus on the impact and opportunity for marketing professionals operating in a global context. The “global village” is being turned into a reality by the new media and the use of cybermarketing is growing in importance for local, international and global organisations.
Unit Title: Global Relationship Marketing
Global Relationship Marketing is the process of creating added value for organisations by managing their relationships with other organisations, or individual customers, more effectively. The module defines the task of relationship marketing from a managerial perspective within an international context. The module principally focuses upon the nature of the networking process, the obstacles that are encountered in an international environment and the ways in which these problems are overcome.
Unit Title: Export Marketing Management
The Export Marketing Management unit introduces the student to the management aspects of export marketing. The focus of the unit is on strategic issues of export marketing through an in-depth examination of the major management tasks of the export department. The aim of the unit is to assist the aspiring export marketer in acquiring the broad perspective and the competence needed to export globally. It should also instil the need for continued learning and adaptation to developments in export marketing, selling and distribution The unit compliments and builds on the foundations of International Marketing Strategy unit delivered in the Certificate stage of the programme.
Unit Title: International Consultancy Project
Many businesses require their employees to work together on collaborative investigations or Group Projects. This module is concerned with developing best practice for co-operation and communication in a group activity, whilst at the same time building on the competencies and learning development introduced throughout the programme. The groups will be required to work with a client to fully research and develop a solution to a specified client related problem in an international context. The groups will then be tasked with interpreting research findings and presenting conclusions and recommendations to the client organisation. This year for example students undertook consultancy work with Corus Steel. Research activity focused on South-East Germany and the Hungarian market. Another group of students worked with the Attric Group researching opportunities in Alegeria. Each year new opportunities arise and this provides real work experiences for students.
MSc International Marketing Strategy
Unit Title: Dissertation
The central objective of the dissertation is to offer candidates the opportunity to enhance their personal development, and their research skills by exploring in some depth, through independent study, a conceptual issue that is pertinent to the field of international marketing. Candidates are encouraged to undertake research work that enables them to critically assess conventional marketing wisdom and its application to the marketing management task in the international context.
