Master of Business Administration (MBA)

MK7040 Marketing in a Digital Age and Corporate Social Responsibility

(30 credits)

2024

Introduction

This module is designed to introduce students to contemporary principles and practices in marketing, in a customer-focused and market-oriented organization.

Relationship marketing is the recent marketing approach that develops around the buying and consumption experience.

As such, the module aims to develop the student’s in-depth understanding of the strategic role of marketing in business, and its impact on the market and society in the digital age.

Indicative Main Topics of Study

· Understanding marketing in the digital era, customer-brand-relationship orientation

· Market segmentation, targeting and positioning, brand management and value creation

· Creating market offerings for global markets, and the marketing program/mix

· Integrated marketing communications mix: online, offline, mobile and interactive communication

· Digital marketing, social media and e-commerce

· Corporate reputation and brand, and future marketing challenges: society, technology and ethics

· The role of corporations in our society; accountability and responsibility in the corporate environment

· Corporate social responsibility; and the most relevant mandatory corporate social responsibility interventions

Teaching and Learning Methods/Strategies

The learning philosophy is designed to encourage students develop appropriate analytical, evaluative and critical patterns of thought.

To achieve this, a variety of teaching and learning methods are used in order to offer a diversity of approach and to meet the differing needs and expectations of students.

These include mixture of tutor-directed lectures and seminars, case studies, as well as student-directed seminars and workshops, group work and shared learning, as well as potential use of virtual learning environment such as quizzes, self-test or discussion.

Learning and Teaching Delivery Methods
Method	Rationale	Type of Contact	Total hours
Lectures	To enable core knowledge and understanding content to be delivered to the whole module cohort	Scheduled	24
Workshops/ Seminars	To allow exploration of all aspects of module content (knowledge, understanding, skills & other attributes) in an interactive group setting	Scheduled	24
Student-Centred Learning	To enable students to independently develop their understanding of the module concepts and to complete formative & summative assessment activity	Independent Study	252
Total			300

Assessment Method

Individual written & oral presentation project of 4,000 words (100% weightage)

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1. Develop a critical understanding of major concepts, frameworks, and methods in marketing and corporate social responsibility, and assess their application in the business environment, including brand value.

2. Examine the role of digital marketing and media play in contemporary marketing and business practice, and the social impact of these practices.

3. Identify key issues and problems related to the lack of responsibility in the approach to corporate business operations, and the risk that unethical corporate conducts poses for our society.

Thinking skills

4. Critically evaluate marketing strategies, including digital marketing solutions - in different business contexts, and address their implications including ethical issues, and reflect on the significance of key historical events.

Subject-based practical skills

5. Make strategic marketing decisions based on facts and market research; and to commission marketing communication campaigns, including digital marketing solutions.

6. Critically assess currently implemented corporate social responsibility solutions and recognise the links between the adoption of certain solutions and the performance of business operations.

Skills for life and work (general skills)

7. Adopt a persuasive argumentation; and present it in verbal or written communication.

8. Collect, analyse and synthesise data; and take a problem-solving approach to strategic thinking, and creativity.

References:

Baines, P., Fill, C., Rosengren, S. and Antonetti, P. (2017) Fundamentals of marketing, UK: Oxford University Press.

Altschuller, S., Feldman, D. and Blecher, L. (2008) “Corporate social responsibility”, The International Lawyer, 42: 489.

Carroll, A.B. (2009) A History of Corporate Social Responsibility, in Cran et al. (eds) Oxford: The Oxford Handbook of Corporate Social Responsibility, Oxford University Press.

Hanlon, A. (2019) Digital Marketing: strategic planning and integration. 4th edn. London: SAGE.

Kotler, P. and Lee, N.R. (2009) Up and out of poverty: the social marketing solution. Horlow: Financial Times/ Prentice Hall.

Laudon, K and Traver, C (2015) E-commerce 2015: Business. Technology. Society, Harlow: Pearson.

Masterson, R., Philips, N. and Pickton, D. (2017) Marketing an introduction, London: SAGE.

Ozuem, W and Bowen, G (2016) Competitive social media marketing strategies. Hershey: IGI.

Rowles, D. (2014) Digital branding: A complete step-by-step guide to strategy, tactics and measurement. London: Kogan Page.

Tuten, T and Solomon, M (2015) Social media marketing, London: Sage

Visser, W. (2009) CSR in Developing Countries, in Andrew Cran et al. (eds) The Oxford handbook of corporate social responsibility, Oxford: Oxford Univeristy Press.

Marketing 4.0 – Philip Kotler, Hermawan Kartajaya, Iwan Setiawan, John Wiley & Sons, 2017