Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 1 GUIDELINES ADVANCED MARKETING PRACTICUM 4 (AMP401) FINAL REPORT The copyright of all IMM Graduate School of Marketing material is held by the IMM GSM. No material may be reproduced without prior written permission from the IMM GSM. Revised: April 2013
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Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 1
GUIDELINES
ADVANCED MARKETING
PRACTICUM 4 (AMP401)
FINAL REPORT
The copyright of all IMM Graduate School of Marketing material is held by the
IMM GSM. No material may be reproduced without prior written permission from
the IMM GSM.
Revised: April 2013
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 2
CONTENTS
Section
Content Page
1 Introduction 3
2 Learning objectives 3
3 Final Report requirements 4
3.1 Report Structure 4
3.2 Planning the Final Report 5
3.3 Final Report – Theoretical overview 8
3.3.1 Process for Strategic Audit 8
3.3.2 Critical reflective analysis and new trends 10
3.3.3 Using models and theory as tools to do an audit 13
3.3.4 Further Examples of Application of Models 19
3.4 Final Report – Technical & Quality Issues 22
4 Evaluating the Final Report 23
4.1 Academic Considerations 23
4.2 Technical Considerations 24
4.3 Mark Allocation 25
5 References 25
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 3
Final Report: AMP401 Practicum
1. Introduction
In the Midway report you were required to select a specific marketing area of activity
or product and document a Strategic Marketing plan or Marketing strategy. To
achieve this you were required to document marketing activities taking place within
the organisation and compile a report around one of the main activities.
The Midway report thus forms the first part of the experiential approach designed to
complement the course work so that your business and education experience is
enhanced. You will by now have observed that what happens in practice is not what
is taught in the theory. However, with some reflective thinking you may well find that
there is far more overlap than what first meets the eye, and it is this reflective
thinking that we want to reinforce in the final report.
The Final report thus takes the process a step further by using models and theory as
tools to further interrogate and audit the way things are done in the company and of
course to audit the content of your report. Take note – this final report is not about
discussing the theory behind the models, but about applying the theory and models
to the actual marketing problem.
2. Learning Objectives
Before commencing on your Final report, read your Midway report guidelines again
and reflect on the obvious and underlying objectives of this module. The emphasis
given in the Final report will be on a subset of the overall objectives given in your
midway report guidelines. Emphasis will thus be given to:
A critical reflective analytical approach to work related marketing activities
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 4
Developing experience in applying management and marketing theory and
models to a wide range of marketing applications
Practice introspective learning, (ie. Critical self reflection)analysing how
decisions are made and how theory can be applied to the practice of
marketing.
Seeing the broader picture (ie the obvious problems are not always the issue
Identifying a role you can play in the organisation
The Final report must be submitted on the due date as indicated on the course
schedule.
3. Final Report Requirements
3.1 Report structure
The 10-15 page final report will look as follows:
Cover page and title of paper
The cover page should contain the following information:
o Title of the paper
o Course name
o Student Name and number
o Company name
o Report Submission Date
Table of content
Table of figures
1. Introduction / Problem Context (1 page) -- review what you have done in
the Midway Report and adapt for the Final Report
2. Strategic Audit (+/-10-12 pages) See appendices for more examples
This will consist of the external and internal analyses sections copied and pasted
from the Midway Report. Use the “Review” function to clearly designate the
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 5
models used for the audit /benchmarking of these two sections; as well as the
critically reflective discussions based on the issues emerging from the audit.
2.1 External Analysis – for example
o Situational analysis
o Competitor analysis
2.2 Internal Analysis – for example
o Product analysis (or other analysis, as applicable) depending on your
particular problem
o Risk analysis, etc.
3. Recommendations (1 page max)
4. Reference list**
IMM regards plagiarism is a very serious light and uses software package called
“Turnitin” that is used to monitor the level of copying and plagiarism on submitted
assignments.
3.2 Planning your Final Report
Plan the report layout so that the report has a logical flow and moves from broad to
specific. Decide what models you are going to consider and plan the flow according.
For instance – which models are you going use to look at the macro-environment;
the industry environment; the internal marketing environment?
Consider whether you need to speak to more people in order to do a proper audit –
who, where and when do you have to speak to, what do you need to ask them in
order to gain the information you need for the audit?
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the practice of copying or taking someone else’s work, words
or ideas and passing them off as one’s own (e.g. not acknowledging the
original author or source).
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 6
The easiest way to ensure such a logical flow is to draw up a framework / plan for
the report, and then to populate the sections in the framework – see layout and
structure guidelines later in this document.
How then do the examples above serve to assist you in the documentation of your
final report? Obviously you cannot be expected to intervene in the work process and
query what models are being applied. But you can reflect on the process. You can
also ask at a convenient time as to which marketing models were, or could be,
appropriate. Whatever the answers you need also to go back to all the theory you
have covered in the course work, be it Strategic marketing, Brand management or
Global marketing and so on. Reflect also on what you have recorded in your midway
report and ask yourself ‘have I considered appropriate marketing models or theory?’
Now that you are ready to start the strategic audit and critical reflective analysis you
revert to your Midway Report and do the following:
1. Start a new document titled “Final Report”
2. Section 1: Company Description: Reflect on whether the company
background depicts any of the issues or concepts you have discovered in
your reading of marketing magazines, and if not why not. Comment
reflectively on this and where appropriate document a revised company
background for the Final Report.
3. Section 3: Strategic marketing Plan or Strategy: Copy the following 2 sections
in the Midway Report - and paste those 2 sections into your Final Report:
External Marketing Analyses including risk analysis
Internal Marketing Analyses including risk analysis
4. Save the new document titled Final Report.
5. Click on the “Review” button and choose the “Track Changes” function. The
“Track Changes” function provides you with the option to “Change tracking
Options”.
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 7
Fig. 1. Screenshot of Review options.
6. Under the “Change tracking Options” choose the following:
Insertions: Underline (no 3 on screenshot); choose colour – blue
works quite well
Changed lines: Outside border (no 4 on screenshot)
Comments: Choose colour blue (no 5 on screenshot)
Track Formatting: deselect the option (no 6 on screenshot)
When you start the audit and do reflection on the external and internal analyses with
these “Review” setting – the changes you made / comments added to the document
will be in a different colour – see the screenshot below:
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Fig. 2 Screenshot of changes made to document using the “Review” function.
Please note: you will be marked on the changes you made to the document: e.g.
benchmarking of the way things are currently done in the company (Midway Report)
using appropriate models - versus what the theory and models suggest. This should
be followed by critical reflection on the differences between the current ways of doing
things in the company as opposed to the new trends in marketing.
It is critical therefore, to use the Review function on order to show what you have
added to the material brought over from the Midway report in terms of models,
comments and reflection. If those changes are not visible as illustrated in the
screenshot above, the Final Report cannot be marked.
3.3. Final Report - Theoretical Overview
3.3.1 – Process for Strategic Audit
The Midway report started off looking at the marketing projects and activities in the
company as a whole. Then the scope narrowed to marketing strategy and projects
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 9
and activities within your area of responsibility or interest. The foundation of the
Midway Report is used to conduct an audit, which will comprise your Final report. An
audit is simply critically reviewing what has been done and in this case what has
been done in your report.
The requirement for the final report is a Strategic Audit , focussed mainly on the
external and internal analyses you have done in your Strategic Marketing Plan in
the Midway report.
Fig 3: Focus areas for midway report and for the final report
As a start, critically reflect on what you have documented in the context, as well as
the external and internal analyses sections in the Midway report. Secondly to do the
strategic audit you have to choose the appropriate theory and models with which
to audit (benchmark) the marketing issues identified in the external and internal
analyses sections of the Midway report. You have to substantiate your choice of
theory and models – e.g. why those are the most appropriate models to use to
analyse those particular issues?
The theory and models serve as tools with which to explore the marketing issues in
the Final report. It will not be acceptable simply to re-submit the midway report in a
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 10
new guise simply by changing a few words. You will thus need to demonstrate a
critical reflective approach.
3.3.2 Critical reflective analysis and New Trends
You will be required to argue your audit analysis in terms of text book theory and
current literature. More specifically you are required to audit the process you have
followed the in the light of new marketing perspectives. For example – if you have
done an external analysis of your customer base profile did you use the old system
of LSM levels, or did you consider the new approach of demographic profiles as
suggested by Chang ?
To do this you are required to read at least 4-6 marketing magazines, some of which
should be IMM’s own magazine, Strategic Marketing. At least one of these
magazines should provide you with new perspective on marketing. In your strategic
marketing audit you will need to reflect if such trends have at least been considered
within your organisation and thus applied in marketing plans including the marketing
plan you have submitted in your midway report.
The Midway report is a factual review of marketing and marketing related activities
within the organisation. It does not necessarily represent the optimum or best view
with respect to current up to date theory and marketing perspectives. In order to
achieve a holistic work integrated learning outcome the Final report needs to take
the process one step further and apply critical reflective analysis to the facts
recorded.
What does it mean to do critical reflective analysis…? Perhaps it might be helpful to
first look at what is understood by the concept “reflection”: Collins Concise Dictionary
(2001, p.1259) defines reflect as: “… think, to meditate, to ponder”; while reflection is
described as “ .careful or long consideration or thought.”
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 11
Using this as our working definition one can argue that reflection is not simply giving
facts nor is it simply asking questions. It requires actions such as thinking;
comparing; evaluating issues from different perspectives and considering the
practical implications of certain decisions or actions.
Critical reflective thinking requires experience, hard work (perseverance), the
knowledge and application of marketing theory and the application of a critical
reflective thinking framework (Kolb, 1984). Both the application of marketing
knowledge and critical reflective thinking are therefore essential for the success in
this module and must be evident in the final report.
Work Integrated Learning refers to the application of knowledge of marketing theory
to practical, work related issues. The application of marketing knowledge to work
related issues, however, can only take place through critical reflective thinking and
the application of appropriate marketing models as well as an awareness of current
trends.
Critical reflective analysis is not easy and you will require a good base from which to
work. A good base will be marketing models as these models reflect a considerable
The following components illustrate some of the principles of critical reflective
analyses:
Comparing what the company does in terms of marketing to what other
companies do, or to what the theory suggests
Identifying gaps and problem areas in terms of the marketing
processes or activities.
Recognising patterns and differences in these approaches
Taking it further – finding additional information when required
Considering the advantages and disadvantages of the different
approaches in terms of budget, resources, meeting customer
expectations, etc.
Coming to an informed decision on the focus for the final report
Reflecting on what that identified focus means in terms of the report –
magazines to read, models to consider, etc.
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 12
depth of marketing theory. A second base is to read what is happening in the market
and marketing magazines would be a good start for this.
Mapping the new trends that you discover as illustrated in the following diagram, can
provide a useful holistic “picture” that can assist you in deciding which new market
trends are most applicable; or has the most potential in terms of the focus of your
final report.
Fig 4: Consider the various new trends found in the magazines
Reflect on which of the new trends you found in the magazines are relevant to your
area of focus for the final report.
Exercise 1:
Read 2-3 copies of the IMM Strategic Marketing magazine and 3-4 other
marketing journals or magazines. Make notes of the new trends in marketing
that you encounter in those publications. Identify the new trends that are applicable
to the focus area of your final report. Discuss it with your marketing manager to gain
Practicum Final Report Apr 2013 Page 13
a second opinion. List 2-3 new trends applicable to the focus area of your final report