Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2021-2022 (archived)

Module BUSI40130: STRATEGIC AWARENESS AND MARKETING

Department: Management and Marketing

BUSI40130: STRATEGIC AWARENESS AND MARKETING

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 30 Availability Not available in 2021/22
Tied to

Prerequisites

  • None.

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • To provide students with the opportunity to study key topics relating to strategic awareness and marketing at an advanced level within a financial services context.

Content

  • Definitions, evolution and the future of strategy, strategic thinking, development and implementation.
  • Strategic comparisons within the financial services industry and competitive positioning based on internal analysis.
  • Corporate, business, generic and operating strategy approaches to developing vision, mission, structures and systems in strategic planning; and their application within a financial services context.
  • Performing a situational analysis on a financial services organisation – external analysis, stakeholder analysis, the operating environment, markets and customer analysis.
  • Tools to measure the success of strategic implementation.
  • The marketing plan: marketing information systems; data sources and data gathering within the financial services sector; customer satisfaction measurement; market performance analysis; market and customer analysis; identifying opportunities; buyer behaviour; market segmentation.
  • Building a customer centred organisation based on customer relationship management, understanding customer/consumer perceptions and satisfying their needs whilst creating value.
  • The evolution of and the changing role of marketing within the financial services sector and in a market economy.
  • Linking corporate strategy and marketing strategy.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • By the end of the module, students should:
  • Have developed a critical understanding of strategic concepts and approaches and a strategic approach to marketing within a financial services context;
  • Have a critical appreciation of the relationship between strategy and marketing and other business/management disciplines;
  • Have a critical appreciation of the various elements of strategic awareness and analysis;
  • Have an appreciation of the full range of marketing tools and techniques;
  • Have understood and analysed the key facets of customer analysis and competitive positioning.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • By the end of the module, students should:
  • Be able to apply selected tools and techniques of strategic planning;
  • Be able to apply the subject-specific knowledge identified above in the context of their own organisations.
Key Skills:
    Written communication; planning, organising and time management; problem solving and analysis; using initiative; computer literacy.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The learning outcomes will be met through a combination of lectures, seminars, facilitated discussion sessions and guided reading. Extensive use will be made of case studies and business simulations. All sessions have a high participation element, and an emphasis on action-learning.
  • Assessment of this module is by summative work-based project, designed to: test the acquisition and articulation of knowledge; test conceptual understanding and skills of application and interpretation within the financial services context.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures 6 daily 2 hours 12
Seminars 6 daily 3 hours 18
Practicals 6 daily 1 hour 6
Preparation & Reading 264
Total 300

Summative Assessment

Component: Work-based project Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Work-based project 6,000 words maximum 100%

Formative Assessment:

Feedback on group and individual activities undertaken during contact hours. Feedback on learning set reflections and action points related to this module.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University