Learning Outcome Details Unit Learning Outcome (ULO): At the successful completion of this unit students can:
ULO1 Design marketing strategies that overcome the challenges associated with the generic differences between goods and services.
GLO1: discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities; GLO4: Critical thinking; GLO5: Problem solving.
ULO2 Critically evaluates the conceptual and theoretical foundations of frameworks and models within the services marketing arena.
GLO1: discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities; GLO4: Critical thinking; GLO5: Problem solving.
ULO3 Evaluate various options for the marketing and management of ‘real-world' service organisations using both theoretical and practical approaches.
GLO1: discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities; GLO4: Critical thinking; GLO5: Problem solving.
1. Written industry-based research report, to be completed individually
Learning outcome details ULOs assessed Students are required to apply services marketing theory and frameworks to an organisation and its operating environment in order to overcome ‘real-world' marketing problems (ULO1, ULO2, ULO3). GLOs assessed DGLO1: discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities; DGLO4: critical thinking; DGLO5: problem solving. The assessment requires students to identify the challenges faced by an organisation and create practical solutions to these challenges.
You are required to choose a service organisation that you believe would benefit from initiating a relationship marketing programme and answer the four questions that appear below with respect to your chosen organisation. Please note that it is permissible to choose an organisation that has implemented a few relationship marketing initiatives, but not an organisation that has a fully developed relationship marketing programme. For example, all airlines have long-established relationship marketing programmes as do many larger hotels and the two major Australian supermarket chains, i.e., Coles and Woolworths. These organisations are not suitable for your assignment.
1) Identify the benefits that accrue to the organisation and its customers if a valued relationship is developed between the two parties.
2) What segment(s) should be targeted by the organisation for a relationship marketing programme? Justify your answer. In your discussion, explain why targeting the ‘right' customers is imperative to the success of the relationship marketing programme.
3) Suggest ways in which management may encourage long-term profitable relationships with the segment(s) that you recommend.
4) Marketing metrics are numeric data that allow marketers to evaluate their performance against organisational goals. How would you use marketing metrics to determine if the strategies that you identify in your answer to 3) were successful?
Write your assignment as though you are a paid marketing consultant writing a ‘business report' for the management (e.g., marketing manager, CEO, managing director) of your chosen organisation. Decide on a company name and logo for your marketing consultancy practice; both should be included in your report, i.e., on the front cover of your report and in the document header.
The organisation that you choose to analyse in your report may be located in Australia or overseas, however it is VITAL that you have a very THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING of your chosen organisation for this assignment. You may wish to visit the organisation to observe how the business is run or to collect information; this will not be possible, of course, if the business is located overseas.
Please clearly identify any relationship marketing tactics that your chosen organisation currently employs in your answer to question 3). If you recommend that management make changes to existing relationship marketing tactics, please provide a strong justification.
It is acceptable for you to make ‘sensible' assumptions about your chosen service organisation. However, it is important that you use supporting evidence (if it is publicly available) or make inferences from your analysis of the organisation's marketing materials.
Research paper assessment criteria
The final mark allocated will be based on the criteria outlined in the Assignment Rubric .Please note that assignments will be marked out of 100 and then re-scaled to 40.
Assignment structure
Your report should include an executive summary, contents page, introduction, body (addressing all four assignment questions), conclusion and a list of references. Please note that an executive summary is meant to be an overview of your entire paper. It requires explicit detail, particularly in relation to your recommendations. Your executive summary should appear on a separate page. For a good description as to what is required in an executive summary, please access the following web addresses (https://unilearning.uow.edu.au/report/4bi.html).
A good introduction will be short and will help guide the reader. It should include:
- The purpose of the report;
- What the report will cover. Otherwise your marker will not be able to ascertain whether you have talked about it meaningfully. If applicable, also indicate what you are not going to cover in your report; and
- Background information that will assist the marker in understanding the contents of the report.
Your final paragraph should contain the conclusions that you draw from the information presented in the body of your report. Conclusions should be briefly but firmly stated. You should not introduce new information in your conclusion paragraph.
You are strongly encouraged to use headings and sub-headings to give your report structure. Should you wish to attach any additional information to your report (e.g., a brochure), label this information Appendix 1, Appendix 2, Appendix 3, etc. and give each appendix a title, e.g. Appendix 1: Dream world Revenue 2011-2015. Each appendix must be referred to by number in the body of your report and described briefly.
Research Sources
A minimum of ten relevant references are required (ALL of which should be cited within the body of your report). Use a range of sources, e.g., journal articles, text books, web sites, business magazines, etc., however, your emphasis should be on citing journal articles. Please use the Harvard referencing system which can be accessed at the following web site (https://www.deakin.edu.au/students/study-support/referencing/harvard).
A blend of relevant services marketing theory and practical advice for management is required to score a high mark for this assignment.
Font and line spacing
With regard to the text used in your paper, please use a standard font (such as Times New Roman or Arial Narrow), at 12-point, with 1.5 minimum spacing between lines, to enhance the legibility for markers.
Word limit
Your report should comprise 4,000 words +/- 10%. In fairness to all students, papers that exceed this word limit will not be marked. The word limit is assessed using the Microsoft Word counter, i.e., Word is the judge. While the word limit as computed by Word includes text and all tables and figures (graphs, charts, etc.) and any appendices written using Word, it should exclude the front cover page, executive summary, contents page, and reference list. Please include the word count on the front cover page of your assignment.