📖Program Curriculum
Course modules
Compulsory modules
All the modules in the following list need to be taken as part of this course.
Strategic Marketing and Planning
Module Leader
Professor Vasilis Theoharakis
Aim
A crucial competence for marketers is marketing strategy; in simple terms, analysing how the target market divides into segments, which of these segments are key targets for the firm, what the firm’s value proposition to each segment is, and what financial results can be expected over a planning period of typically 3. This module teaches Cranfield’s world-leading step-by-step process for developing such a marketing strategy and documenting it in a marketing plan.
Being able to define or refine a marketing strategy underpins all other aspects of marketing which help to make this strategy happen. For example, the firm’s brand or brands need to be aligned with the value proposition, as do marketing communications. To help students integrate learning across these different marketing disciplines, this module is assessed through an integrated assignment alongside the Customer Behaviour module.
Syllabus
The module covers:
Strategic marketing in context
The strategic marketing planning process
Mission statements and organisational objectives
The Marketing Audit and analytical tools
Market maps and market segmentation
SWOT analysis
The Directional Policy Matrix
Marketing objectives and strategies
Product and pricing strategy.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Understand the evolution and role of marketing and be able to describe the characteristics of a customer-centric organization.
Appreciate a series of marketing strategy tools and techniques and their application in practice.
Recognise a successful marketing planning process and understand the construction and evaluation of a strategic marketing plan.
Structure and prepare a comprehensive strategic marketing plan.
Evaluate marketing plans prepared by others.
Big Data, Insight and Analytics
Module Leader
Ian Crawford
Aim
The module aims to demystify the area of big data, statistical methods and insight to prepare students for a career in a marketing environment defined by big data, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics. Rather than a strict focus on data science, statistics and methods, the module balances developing an understanding of analytical techniques with how marketing leaders make decisions using (big data) insight. Gartner has introduced the term “citizen data scientist” to describe competent practitioners that can engage in data discovery and know when they need professional help.
Students will learn how to design research projects and understand core data gathering instruments used in market research, whether this is academic or practitioner oriented research.
Syllabus
The syllabus comprises three components: Big Data / Analytics, Customer Insight and thesis preparation.
Developing customer insight
Introduction to Market and Social Research
Developing a Research Project
The Role of Secondary Data
Questionnaire Design
Sampling for Quantitative and Qualitative Research Projects
Designing and executing unstructured and structured Interviews (e.g. focus groups, depth interviews)
Ethics and Legislation in Research
Mining User-generated Content for Marketing Insights
Experiments
Big data analytics
The big data revolution
Data discovery, exploration and visualisation process (e.g. CRISP)
Using JMP software
Artificial Intelligence
Marketing practices using analytics and big data (segmentation, targeting, positioning and customer experience)
Issues of implementation and realising the benefits of big data marketing analytics
Academic research component
The requirements for the successful completion of an dissertation.
Writing a research proposal that reflects an ability to set objectives (determine a research question), identify literature, determine appropriate methods.
Planning and designing the academic thesis fieldwork/systematic review.
Analysing qualitative data using NVivo.
Writing a critical literature review.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
Define and evaluate research objectives for both scholarly aims, and applied decision-making in a marketing context
Create and design appropriate research solutions to identified problems, based on a clear understanding of a range of research methods and data gathering.
Develop and apply marketing analytics (data exploration and modelling) to marketing practices (segmentation, targeting, positioning and customer management).
Plan, organise and prepare their thesis dissertation.
Retailing and Omnichannel Management
Module Leader
Dr Tamira King
Aim
Many goods and services are sold through retailers, and managing retail processes is essential for both retailers and manufacturers. The module highlights the important role which retail plays in contemporary economies and how it permeates our lives. It enables you to gain an understanding of how retailing is managed and strategically explores how retailers obtain competitive advantage. You will have strategic models and tools to analyse the retailing environment and demonstrates key retailing strategies which enable retailers to enhance their performance.
Face-to-face retail is, however, only one of a number of marketing and distribution channels through which marketing, sales and service occurs. In today’s world, multiple channels may be combined in the same customer journey. So the module also covers how to develop an omnichannel strategy in both B2C and B2B contexts.
Working for a retailer or within an organisation that sells a product or service through retailers is likely to be a first destination for many graduates of this programme. And irrespective of sector, channel management is critical to most senior marketing management posts. Therefore, this module provides vital skills for a marketing career.
Syllabus
Analytical retail models
Retail communications: space management, visual merchandising and atmospherics
Customer service
Legal and ethical issues in retailing
Omnichannel developments and how to manage them
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
Critically understand, apply and analyse models for analysis of strategic and operational omnichannel retailing situations.
Critically assess the strategic choices of elements of the (e-)retail mix, including: e/store layout; and (web)atmospherics and the importance of customer service and retail ethics.
Appreciate and act on how customers combine channels in their omnichannel journey.
Critically evaluate a retailer’s current strategy and make recommendations for future omnichannel strategy by applying retail theories and models on omnichannel experience
CRM and Customer Experience
Module Leader
Dr Tamira King
Aim
The aim is for students to understand the role of CRM and CE in the overall business strategy as well as the marketing mix. As a result of this Module students will be confident in their ability to conceive a CRM and or CE programme.
Syllabus
The module covers:
Key concepts of CRM and CE
Customer profitability – theory, measurement and practice thereof
Customer experience – definition, management, the critical role of employees
CRM programme management – design, business processes, technology, capabilities, governance and implementation
Learning – data analysis, learning from customers
Measurement and evaluation of CRM
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Apply CRM and CEkey concepts
Evaluate and critically assess the relationship between CRM and CE to the rest of the business activities of the firm.
Develop a strategic approach to CRM and CE for their firms.
Improve CRM and CE practices within their firms.
Marketing Consultancy Project
Module Leader
Professor Stan Maklan
Aim
This is an integrative module allowing you to apply that which you have learnt to date in a practical manner. You will work in your learning teams and role-play a management consulting team competitively against the other learning teams. All teams will address the same brief: a genuine business opportunity for a particular company. You will have one week to understand the brief, gather the relevant data, use appropriate tools / frameworks and generate innovative, pragmatic and achievable recommendations. Your presentations will be judged by a panel that includes a company marketing executive dealing with the problem.
Syllabus
This is a simulation exercise based around participants providing consultancy to a company based on a real-live problem.
Therefore, module content is integrative, pulling together themes and techniques from other modules.
Intended learning outcomes
This module is intended to enable you to apply marketing theory in a real and complex situation. On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:
Select and justify what marketing theories, frameworks and perspectives are applicable and to deploy this methodology intelligently to a real-life situation.
Clearly demonstrate a capacity for mature problem solving and creative thinking through addressing a real marketing problem.
Work with colleagues in a competitive situation, under time pressure and with incomplete access to information, people and data.
Demonstrate compelling management consulting skills by providing expert and credible advice, and presenting a solutions in a very succinct and compelling manner.
Digital Marketing and Social Media Marketing
Module Leader
Dr Annmarie Hanlon
Aim
The aim of this module is to enable students to understand why digital and social media marketing is critical to all organisations and to evaluate the utility of the key elements in the digital marketing toolbox.
This module provides the frameworks and tools to enable students to create and manage digital marketing and social media. Contextualising digital and social media marketing within an organisational setting, this module shares the latest theories around digital and social media. The subjects covered include the practical application of digital marketing, as well as the sustainability of different social media platforms, ethical issues and data privacy concerns.
On completion of this module students will be able to critically debate contemporary issues in this fast-moving area and formulate plans to manage digital marketing.
Syllabus
The digital marketing toolbox (email, search engine optimisation, paid search, websites).
Digital marketing frameworks.
Sustainability of managing social media in organisations.
Managing ethical issues online.
Integrating digital marketing.
Current debates on business of digital marketing, the evolution of digital consumers and changing online behaviour.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module a student should be able to:
Evaluate and critically assess the digital and social media toolbox applied by an organisation in terms of its impact and effect.
Apply knowledge of digital and social media by justifying and developing an integrated plan as part of an overall strategic marketing communications plan.
Apply digital marketing frameworks.
Prepare and debate an evidence-based argument on a current topic in digital and social media marketing practice.
Accounting and Finance for Strategic Marketing
Module Leader
Dr Matthias Nnadi
Aim
The aim of the Accounting and Finance module is to introduce a number of traditional and contemporary accounting approaches that will increase the visibility of financial information and support management decision making.
Syllabus
The module has five main themes:
Interpretation of financial statements;
Exploring the relationship between accounting information, management decision making, financial strategies, and financial performance;
Applying traditional and contemporary accounting tools and techniques, which can be applied to support business management decisions;
Exploring the many cost trade-offs between business processes (Make v Buy).
Appreciation of financial governance and legal requirements in procurement strategies.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Generate financial information from transaction data;
Judge the effect of decisions, transactions and events on financial performance;
Apply an appropriate costing approaches to solve a range of business issues;
Valuate financial information to make informed management decisions.
Strategic Sales
Module Leader
Dr Elizabeth Rogers
Richard Vincent
Aim
It is evident to most organisations that customers represent a true “asset” in that they have the potential to generate revenues and other benefits to the supplier company. Customers represent one of the main stakeholders of a company, in addition to the owners, the employees, the suppliers, and the society as a whole. A good understanding of customers is therefore vital. Moreover, business-to-business (B2B) buyer-supplier relationships have been found to be an important source of competitive advantage if supplier companies are able to engage in those relationships properly.
The purpose of this module is to provide students with concepts and tools that are critical for B2B customer management. It should benefit executives who are involved those who aspire to careers managing in buyer-supplier interactions and relationships, and those involved in general management, B2B marketing, and other functional areas in the organisation or retail/FMCG marketing.
Syllabus
Professional selling theory and practice
Sales management theory and practice
Buyer behaviour and its impact on buyer-seller relationships
Sales strategy and Key Account Management
Live client briefing
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Select appropriate sales theories, tools, and frameworks to apply to business problems and opportunities.
Develop ethical and sustainable solutions to sales-related problems and opportunities.
Critically appraise a real-world sales-related problem or opportunity and compose a written plan presenting recommendations for a senior management audience.
Integrated Marketing Communications
Module Leader
Dr Marwa Tourky
Aim
The aim of the module is to enable students to understand and critically apply the various aspects of marketing communications from initial analysis of the market through to the development of strategies incorporating an expanding range of communications techniques. As a result, they will be able to write their own marketing communication plans and critically debate contemporary issues in marketing communications.
The subjects covered are communications theory, communication campaigns, marketing communications planning, implementation and evaluation, and coordination, integration and orchestration of the marketing communications mix with particular reference to advertising, publicity and digital media (i.e. paid, earned and owned media). The module may incorporate an industry guest speaker.
Syllabus
This module covers the following topics:
An introduction to communications theory and marketing communications decision making process.
Integrated marketing communication.
The role of traditional paid communications, such as advertising via TV, press, radio, outdoor, endorsement and sponsorship.
The role of digital communications including viral marketing and the role of social networks.
The role of earned media communications, including public relations and crisis management.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you will be able to:
Demonstrate a systematic and comprehensive understanding, interpretation and application of the theory and practice of marketing communications in contemporary commercial, non-commercial and consumer markets.
Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the validity of a variety of consumer-based models relating to the development of effective promotional activities and the use of persuasion tools in different scenarios.
Evaluate the effectiveness of various communications tools and appraise marketing communications mediums and creative executions.
Critically evaluate key marketing communications challenges facing organisations and develop critical awareness of the associated ethical issues and the interrelationships with media and society, and propose customer focused solutions.
Express personal ideas and analytical ability in relation to case-based material and apply knowledge of marketing communications by justifying and developing an integrated communications plan as part of an overall strategic marketing plan.
Managing Brands
Module Leader
Dr Dennis Esch
Aim
In many businesses, from consumer goods to industrial services, the primary assets are increasingly intangible. First amongst these is the brand, whether this consists of a portfolio of branded businesses or the corporate brand itself. In both instances, the brand asset needs to be managed to build customer loyalty and resourced so that the competitive advantage it generates can be sustained.
Similarly, one way the equity that lies in the brand can be leveraged is by appropriately extending the brand. Managing the brand, therefore, requires insights into brand preferences and repeat purchasing patterns. It also requires a clear understanding of the levers of successful brand strategies and the tenets of managing brands in the new digital world. The course covers each of these aspects, and brand management is discussed both in a national and international context.
Syllabus
Brand equity and the value brands create for customers and companies
Brand loyalty and consumer profiles
Brand image and brand awareness
Brand identity and brand positioning
Brand architecture and brand extensions
Brand strategies
Brand building in the digital age
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Apply skills and critical knowledge for successfully managing branded products and services.
Critically make the case for brand investment and brand strategies to be implemented.
Develop the brand identity as a foundation for successful brand positioning.
Explain how the new digital world is changing the practice of brand management.
Consumer Behaviour
