Choose an organization you have interacted with in your city and use the concepts you’ve learned to analyze some aspect of this organization’s marketing strategy. This assignment is open-ended on purpose; the point of this assignment is to connect what you have learned in the classroom with the real world. Be sure to highlight at least 4 of the course’s LOs and incorporate at least one research paper with appropriate citations.
Below is a suggested assignment outline:
Introduction of the business which highlights a marketing problem/ challenge/ opportunity the business is facing based on an informational interview with a company representative. The interview can be with any manager (father, brother, friend).
Review of their current marketing strategies (i.e., 4Ps, positioning map for their brand and their competitors)
Strategy recommendation
You can pair up with a classmate if you wish. In this case, the assignment length will be 1500-2000 words. You can include figures, tables, and the interview narrative in the appendix.
—
As business majors, your communication skills are crucial — we want you to write well and expect that your work is clear, concise, and not only proofread but iterated with multiple drafts. To that end here are some reminders about writing a strong paper.
In upper-level classes we want you to focus on the LOs because they are the core components of the class. Building your paper around the LOs is a much better approach than writing a paper and then shoving in LO footnotes. You may tag LOs with a footnote to make it is clear to you and the Professor where you are trying to highlight certain concepts, but do not explain your application in a footnote. Everything you need to make your case that this is a good use of the LO should be in the main text.
Assignment Information
Length:
750-1000 words
Weight:
15%
Learning Outcomes Added
WhyExist: Identify why a given company exists and analyze its competitive advantage. Use these insights to evaluate business strategy and execution.
CustomerCentricity: Identify customer needs and explain how their fulfillment leads to better business.
ConsumerBehavior: Design studies and evaluate research in consumer behavior.
MarketAnalytics: Utilize analytical techniques and apply statistical analyses to market research questions.
AboveTheRevenueLine: Explain how financial performance can be linked to effective marketing strategy.
ResearchStrategy: Assess the role of market research and consumer psychology in decision-making and strategy formation.
