Master in Strategic Marketing Syllabus

Course structure

Stage I

Modules - Core modules

Strategic Marketing Management 

Consumer Behaviour and Research 

Marketing Communications 

Stage II

Modules - Elective modules

Specialisation Module I*

Specialisation Module II*

Specialisation Module III*

Research Methods

Stage III

Modules

Dissertation

*See below for elective specialisation modules. All specialisations are available subject to student demand.

Specialisations and elective modules

Global Marketing

• Global Marketing Management
• Cross-Cultural Management
• Project Management and Leadership

Digital Marketing and Social Media

• Digital Marketing Communications
• Internet Marketing Management
• Social Media Communications

Integrated Marketing Communications

• Advertising and Promotion Management
• Public Relations Management
• Digital Marketing Communications

Sales Management

• Customer Relationship Management
• Strategic Sales Management
• Advertising and Promotion Management

Luxury Brand Management

• Luxury Brand Management
• Global Marketing Management
• Public Relations Management

Topics covered:

• Assessing The Competitiveness of the Firm (Internal) I: Identification of the firm’s core competencies
• Assessing The Competitiveness of the Firm (Internal) II: Development of the firm’s competitive advantage
• Assessing the External Marketing Situation I: Customer behaviour (Revisited)
• Assessing the External Marketing Situation II: Competitor analysis, business intelligence and analysing relationships in the value chain
• Developing Marketing Strategies I: SWOT analysis, strategic marketing planning and portfolio analysis
• Developing Marketing Strategies II: Segmentation, targeting, positioning and competitive strategies, as well as CSR strategy and the sustainable global value chain
• Developing Marketing Programmes I: Establishing, developing and managing buyer-seller relationships, as well as product and service decisions
• Developing Marketing Programmes II: Pricing decisions, distribution decisions and communication decisions
• Organising, Implementing and Controlling the Marketing Campaign I: Organising and implementing the marketing campaign
• Organising, Implementing and Controlling the Marketing Campaign II: Budgeting and reviewing the marketing campaign

Topics covered:

• The Consumer in Marketing Management I: Consumer psychology and core concepts of consumer behaviour relationship management
• The Consumer in Marketing Management II: Importance of consumer insight in marketing management, consumer behaviour in a global context and cross culture management
• Consumer Research I: Diagnosis of requirements, methods of consumer data collection and ethical issues in consumer research
• Consumer Research II: Interpretation and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data using basic descriptive statistics
• Personality of the Consumer and Environmental Context I: Demography, psychography and culture, consumer awareness, as well as loyalty and motivation
• Personality of the Consumer and Environmental Context II: Factors that impact on consumer behaviour, as well as opinion leaders and trendsetters
• Purchase and Consumption I: Purchase decision-making process, stages, factors and explanatory models
• Purchase and Consumption II: Purchase and consumption behaviour in consumers
• The Customer I: B2B and B2C, as well as consumers as customers
• The Customer II: Customer relationship management

Topics covered:

• Integrated Marketing Communication within the Marketing Framework I: The need for integration of marketing communication messages and channels
• Integrated Marketing Communication within the Marketing Framework II: Integrated marketing communication’s role within marketing management
• Segmentation and Planning I: Managing the segmentation process, requirements for creative media strategies to reach target audiences
• Segmentation and Planning II: Managing integrated marketing communications planning, approaches to designing marketing communications strategies and the development of communication budgets
• Managing Expectations and the Communications Mix I: Managing the expectations of consumers and other stakeholders, as well as theories and models of buyers’ behaviour
• Managing Expectations and the Communications Mix II: Managing the communications mix for a better balance of internal and external communications, as well as the role of PR in crisis management
• Branding and Identity in Integrated Marketing Communication I: Managing brands, building brand equity, repositioning brands and creating brand loyalty
• Branding and Identity in Integrated Marketing Communication II: Establishing corporate identity and the objectives of corporate communications
• Technology and the Environment (Impact on Integrated Marketing Communication I): Technology and the growth of direct marketing and customisation of communications, as well as managing customer interfaces at each point of contact
• Technology and the Environment (Impact on Integrated Marketing Communication II): The impact of cultural/ethical, legal, political and economic variables on marketing communications in the international environment, and on advertising.

Topics covered:

• Global Marketing Environment, Cross Cultural Management Issues and Marketing Research I: The Global Marketing Environment and Cross Cultural Issues
• Global Marketing Environment, Cross Cultural Management Issues and Marketing Research II: Marketing Research - Finding Local and International Spaces
• Marketing Entry and Global Expansion Strategies I: Marketing Entry Strategies
• Marketing Entry and Global Expansion Strategies II: Global Expansion Strategies
• Competitive Advantage, Business Strategy and Organisational Structures in a Global Context I: Competitive Advantage and Business Strategy
• Competitive Advantage, Business Strategy and Organisational Structures in a Global Context II: Organisational Structure in a Global Context
• International Marketing Strategic Planning Process I: Segmentation and Targeting in International Marketing
• International Marketing Strategic Planning Process II: Positioning in International Marketing
• International Marketing Mix Decision and Constructing the International Value Chain I: Constructing the International Marketing Mix
• International Marketing Mix Decision and Constructing the International Value Chain II: Constructing the International Value Chain

Topics covered:

• Analytical Frameworks of Cross Cultural Comparisons I
• Analytical Frameworks of Cross Cultural Comparisons II
• Cultural Intelligence and Competence I
• Cultural Intelligence and Competence II
• Expatriation and Repatriation I
• Expatriation and Repatriation II
• Cross-Cultural Leadership I
• Cross-Cultural Leadership II
• Culture and Negotiations
• Culture and Communication

Topics covered:

• Project Selection and Portfolio Management: Project Selection and Portfolio Management, Leadership and the Project Manager Scope Management
• Cost Estimation/ Budgeting and Risk Management in Project Management I: Cost Estimation / Budgeting in Project Management
• Cost Estimation/ Budgeting and Risk Management in Project Management II: Risk Management in Project Management
• Project Scheduling I: Project Scheduling: Networks, Duration Estimation, and Critical Path and Project Scheduling: Lagging, Crashing, and Activity Networks
• Project Scheduling II: Critical Chain Project Scheduling
• Resource Management and Project Evaluation I: Resource Management
• Resource Management and Project Evaluation II: Project Evaluation and Control and Project Closeout and Termination
• Leading Diversity (Human Relations and Communications) I: Cross-Cultural Leadership Intelligence
• Leading Diversity (Human Relations and Communications) II: Conflict Management and Virtual Teams in Project Management

Topics covered:

• Internet Marketing, E-Promotion Strategies and Mobile Marketing I: Definition, Aims and Origins of Internet Marketing
• Internet Marketing, E-Promotion Strategies and Mobile Marketing II: E-Promotion Strategies and Mobile Marketing
• Strategic Digital Marketing, Management and Assessment of Digital Marketing Communications and Digital Media and Advertising I: Strategic Digital Marketing, Management and Assessment of Digital Marketing Communications
• Strategic Digital Marketing, Management and Assessment of Digital Marketing Communications and Digital media and Advertising II: Digital Media and Advertisement
• Internet Communications Channels and Strategies and Managing Direct and Database Marketing I: Internet Communications Channels and Strategies
• Internet Communications Channels and Strategies and Managing Direct and Database Marketing II: Managing Direct and Database Marketing
• Consumer Behaviour in Cyber Environment and Interactive Communications with Customers and Consumers I: Consumer Behaviour in Cyber Environment
• Consumer Behaviour in Cyber Environment and Interactive Communications with Customers and Consumers II: Interactive Communication with Customers and Consumers
• New Media, New Trends and Strategic Considerations of Internet Marketing I
• New Media, New Trends and Strategic Considerations of Internet Marketing II

Topics covered:

• Fundamentals of Internet Marketing I: Introducing Internet Marketing and The Internet Micro-environment
• Fundamentals of Internet Marketing II: The Internet Macro-environment
• The Development of Internet Marketing Strategy I: Internet Marketing Strategy, The Internet and the Marketing Mix
• The Development of Internet Marketing Strategy II: Relationship Marketing Using the Internet
• Implementation and Practice of Internet Marketing Management I: Delivering the Online Customer Experience
• Implementation and Practice of Internet Marketing Management II: Campaign Planning for Digital Media
• Implementation and Practice of Internet Marketing Management III: Marketing Communications Using Digital Media Channels
• Implementation and Practice of Internet Marketing Management IV: Evaluation and Improvement of Digital Channel Performance
• Implementation and Practice of Internet Marketing Management V: Business-to-consumer Internet Marketing
• Implementation and Practice of Internet Marketing Management VI: Business-to-business Internet Marketing

Topics covered:

• The Foundation of Social Media Marketing: Assumed Knowledge whistle stop tour and bridging the Social Media Gap
• Social Media Strategy Development and Inspiring and Facilitating Creativity
• The Rise of Branded Content, the Power of Integration and Intent Is the New Demographic and Targeting the Easily Influenced rather and the Highly Influential
• Social Media Strategy Delivery, Your Best Advocates, the Profit Evidence and Social Media Business Engineering and Power Struggles Of The Advocate Age
• Case I:  ARM and Aviva
• Case II:  Dell and Evans Cycles
• Case III:  GlaxoSmithKline and Kodak
• Case IV:   Phillips and Sage
• The Future of Social Media Marketing I: The Ethnocentric Bias and Digital Dragons, Elephants and Tigers
• The Future of Social Media Marketing II: Design Thinking and Social Media and “God” Technology

Topics covered:

• The Place of Advertising and Planning the Advertising I: Background of Today’s Media Advertising and the Roles of Advertising
• The Place of Advertising and Planning the Advertising II: Brand Planning and the Advertising Spiral and Target Marketing
• Target Marketing I: The Advertising Agency, Media Services, and Other Services
• Target Marketing II: The Advertiser’s Marketing/Advertising Operation
• Advertising Management and the Media Tools I: Tools of Advertising 1
• Advertising Management and the Media Tools II: Tools of Advertising 2
• Creating the Advertising I: The Process of Creating the Advertisement 1
• Creating the Advertising II: The Process of Creating the Advertisement 2
• Other Environments of Advertising I: International Advertising
• Other Environments of Advertising I: Economic, Social, and Legal Effects of Advertising

Topics covered:

• The Public Relations Role I: What Is Public Relations? And The Evolution of Public Relations
• The Public Relations Role II: Ethics and Professionalism and Public Relations Departments and Firms
• The Public Relations Process I: Research and Program Planning
• The Public Relations Process II: Communication and Evaluation Conflict Management: Dealing with Issues, Risks, and Crises
• The Public Relations Process Strategy I: Public Opinion and Persuasion and Conflict Management: Dealing with Issues, Risks, and Crises
• The Public Relations Process Strategy II: Reaching Diverse Audiences and Public Relations and the Law
• The Public Relations Tactics I: The Internet and Social Media and Preparing Materials for Mass Media
• The Public Relations Tactics II: Radio and Television and Meetings and Events
• The Public Relations Application I: Application to Corporations and Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism
• The Public Relations Application II: Application to Politics and Government, Global Public Relations, Non-profit, Health, and Education

Topics covered:

• Evolution of Relationships with Customers and the Thinking Behind Customer Relationships
• A Model for Managing Customer Relationships I: Customer Relationships: Basic Building Blocks of IDIC and Trust and Identifying Customers
• A Model for Managing Customer Relationships II: Differentiating Customers: Some Customers Are Worth More Than Others
• A Model for Managing Customer Relationships III: Differentiating Customers by Their Needs and Interacting with Customers: Customer Collaboration Strategy
• A Model for Managing Customer Relationships IV: Customer Insight, Dialogue, and Social Media and Privacy and Customer Feedback
• A Model for Managing Customer Relationships V: The Payoff of IDIC: Using Mass Customisation to Build Learning Relationships
• Measuring and Managing to Build Customer Value I: Optimizing Around the Customer: Measuring the Success of Customer-Based Initiatives
• Measuring and Managing to Build Customer Value II: Using Customer Analytics to Build the Success of the Customer-Strategy Enterprise
• Measuring and Managing to Build Customer Value II: Organizing and Managing the Profitable Customer-Strategy Enterprise: Part 1
• Measuring and Managing to Build Customer Value III: Organizing and Managing the Profitable Customer-Strategy Enterprise: Part 2

Topics covered:

• Strategic Planning and Sales Leadership I: Introduction to Sales Management and The Sales Function and Multi-Sales Channels
• Strategic Planning and Sales Leadership II: Leadership and the Sales Executive Ethics, the Law, and Sales Leadership
• Analysing Customers and Markets I: Business-to-Business (B2B) Sales and Customer Relationship Management
• Analysing Customers and Markets II: Leveraging Information Technologies
• Designing and Developing the Sales Force I: Designing and Organizing the Sales Force and Recruiting and Selecting the Right Salespeople
• Designing and Developing the Sales Force II: Training and Developing the Sales Force
• Sales Process Management I: Supervising, Managing, and Leading Salespeople Individually and in Teams
• Sales Process Management II: Setting Goals and Managing the Sales Force’s Performance and Motivating and Rewarding Salespeople
• Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management I: Turning Customer Information into Knowledge and Assessing the Performance of the Sales Force and the People Who Comprise It
• Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management II: Internal and External Cultural Forces That Affect a Firm’s Sale Performance

Topics covered:

• The Uniqueness of the Luxury Brand Industry I: The Difference in Expectations and Findings from the Luxury Brand Industry
• The Uniqueness of the Luxury Brand Industry II: Competitive Advantage Requirements and Successful Business Models in the Luxury Brand Industry and a Review of Three Major Players (LVMH, Richemont, and PPR Gucci)
• Major Sectors in the Luxury Industry: Fashion, Perfumes and Cosmetics, Wine and Spirits, and Watches and Jewellery
• The Value Chain and Management Issues: Retail vs. Wholesale, Pricing and the Risk of the Major Key Account
• The Luxury Brand: The Value of a Brand, Characteristics, Brands and Brand Signs and the Legal Aspects
• Product Life Cycle and Strategies in the Luxury Brand Industry
• Creativity in Luxury Brand Management I
• Creativity in Luxury Brand Management II
• Marketing Communication in Brand Management
• Distribution and Supply Chain in the Luxury Brand Management Industry

The Integrative Research and Consultancy Project is available for students who have completed Part One of their studies. The module is designed to be a student led research and consultancy based module, anchored to providing students with relevant academic and industry-specific skills. The module is split into two sections. In section one, the students create and complete a research/engagement proposal and turn this into a feasible research plan, while in section two, they engage in the actual research/consultancy.

All Integrative Research and Consultancy Projects will be done by the students based on their selected specialist pathway module topics. This is in order to enable the students to carry out their independent consultancy research at a master’s level and allow them to meet the desired learning outcomes, while also developing relevant skills and expertise in their chosen pathways.

Module Aims:

The aims of the module are to enable students to develop relevant academic, internal, and external business skills that are transferrable to their chosen discipline of study. The consultancy project will seek to address critical business issues that are company specific, or applicable to an identifiable industry, and will be carried out within the timescale of the course. Practical skills and experience are important to career development and as such, the module has been designed with a particular emphasis on the students’ development of industry-specific skills which can be applied to their future careers.

At the End of the Module:

1. The student should be able to formulate a research proposal and implement this into a workable research plan.
2. The students should be able to design, manage, and independently apply critical business research to their chosen discipline, and present their findings to professionally acceptable standards.
3. The student should be able to critically evaluate and analyse their findings, reporting on their conclusions in a clear and acceptable standard, in the form of an engagement report.
4. The student should be able to synthesise theory in a practical context to showcase their knowledge, understanding, and acquired skills in regard to the taught components of their studies.