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MKTG3501
Assessment 1 Guidelines – Strategy reflection Weight: 30% Submission: Word document (.docx is preferable) Word limit: 1,500 words maximum (+/- 10%). Any content submitted beyond the limit is ineligible for marking. Referencing: APA (6th) The aim of this assessment task is to develop your critical thinking skills, to use these to reflect upon your own learning of marketing strategy so far in this course and to identify areas for improvement. You are required to write a critical reflection on your experiential learning. Your goal is to connect your learning to application and personal development in order to expand your view of the marketing world. Reflection is a valuable learning tool in the education environment, but also a very useful business tool. Imagine a leader who doesn’t reflect on performance, they are likely to make the same mistakes over and over. Therefore, a crucial component of reflection is improvement, identifying how you would do things differently with the insight you have now gained. This is what learning is all about. I encourage all students to peruse the links in the A1 folder about reflection practice as this will help you understand how to approach this task. Content guidelines These guidelines provide a comprehensive framework and align well to the marking criteria. There is no specific structure that learners must follow but you are encouraged to use headings to break up content and direct the reader. Additionally, the nature of the task will involve the use of personal pronouns and this is acceptable in this piece, although is less common in business writing. The word limit excludes a cover page, and reference list (everything else including tables, figures, heading, captions, etc are included in the word count, no appendices are used in this task). As a written communication, a brief introduction and conclusion should be included. To provide learners with a structured approach to this task, you are asked to reflect on some specific elements, rather than a broad overview. As such, learners should ensure they address the specific topics following and should consult the marking criteria to see how this will be assessed: The assessment is formed by 4 parts, as follows. Firstly, individuals should summarise and evaluate the strategic goals set in Q2 of the simulation, including selection of target segment, market size, geographic market, competitive posture and distinctive competencies. This should include a brief examination of how well/poorly these decisions work to create a cohesive strategy. Secondly, individuals should review implementation of strategy (up to and including Q5) and evaluate how well tactical choices have aligned to the overarching goals, and the results of this implementation. Be specific here – what choices align/do not align with set strategic objectives, what are the specific implications of this alignment, or lack of. Thirdly, an important part of executing strategy is monitoring performance and considering how tightly to follow the set plans, or whether refinement may be needed. Students should examine the marketing literature relating to ‘marketing agility’, providing a theoretical
Assessment 1 Guidelines – Strategy reflection synthesis of the literature, justifying a top consideration for marketing managers to be mindful of in executing strategy. Finally, considering your previous discussion (on strategic goals, implementation and your knowledge of agility), individuals should make a single top priority essential recommendation to discuss with the team for potential execution moving forward in the simulation, providing justification as to why this is necessary and details of how this will be executed. Crucially, it is highlighted that this is a critical and informed reflection, not an opinion piece. Therefore, detailed examination in relation to marketing theory is essential. Students who solely describe personal opinions will fail. The task requires a diligent examination of experiential learning outcomes in relation to specific evidence and contemporary marketing literature. All discussions should be informed by evidence and theory, not personal opinion. Format • Line spacing 1.5 • font 11pt Arial • Standard margins • Use headings to break up content effectively • References should be included for ALL works using APA style. There is no set number of references needed, rather quality scholarly theory will be used to demonstrate informed viewpoints and evidence.
Assessment 1 Guidelines – Strategy reflection Criteria Exceptional Advanced Proficient Functional Unsatisfactory Strategic goals 20 marks Exceptionally clear evaluation of strategic marketing goals, expertly and precisely examining the cohesive nature of strategic choices.