Marketing Fundamentals

The course focuses on the relationship between organizations and the ultimate consumer, expressed through the marketing mix. Essentially, studies are concentrated on the nature and behaviour of supplying organizations, nature and behaviour of the ultimate consumer and the various marketing mix elements (product, price, place, promotion) which are used by organizations to satisfy needs and wants of consumers. While the course has a theoretical base, a practical application of the concepts of marketing to “real world” situations is an essential part of the course.

Integrated Marketing Communication

This subject is designed to provide students with a theoretical and practical appreciation of the central role marketing communication plays in the general business environment. The subject provides a framework for examining, analysing and evaluating various aspects of the marketing communications process and the relevant marketing communications tools most commonly used. It is further designed to assist business managers to make choices regarding which marketing tools to use under a variety of dynamic environments. Subjects covered include: advertising, PR, personal selling, direct selling, Internet marketing, sponsorship, sales promotion, emerging technologies and their potential.

Promotion Management

This module addresses the nature and role of the promotional element of the marketing mix. It covers issues of promotional strategy; elements of promotional management; the interaction of various elements used in promotion such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and public relations; and the socio-legal environment of promotion. The emphasis will be on the development of skills in identifying the role of promotion in product, service, professional and industrial marketing situations.

Consumer Behaviour

This module addresses behavioural concepts and theories relating to consumer behaviour and consumer decision making process. It introduces a further study of consumer behaviour and how they are influenced by individuals’ socio-cultural factors such as family, social groups and group processes, social class, culture and subculture and consumers’ individual factors such as motivation and needs, perception, learning, personality and lifestyle attitudes. The module also introduces an overview of organisational buying.

International Marketing Analysis

This module enables acquiring of expertise in developing marketing strategies for countries other than their own and thereby to extend their range of marketing understanding, both to deal with international marketing situations in non-domestic markets and the impact of international competitors on the domestic market. It promotes an understanding of the factors determining the extent to which standardisation in strategy and implementation is appropriate for success in international markets.

Organizational Decision Making

This module provides students with a management perspective on organizational decision making. Organisational decision making is a field of study that specifically focuses on the impact that people have on organizational effectiveness ?and efficiency, in terms of marketing communications. At the organisationwide level of analysis, structure, culture and change are considered as major challenges to managers for achieving quality outcomes. Managers are concerned with the decision making implications for achieving goals on the one hand, and adapting goals so that organisations are relevant to their environments on the other hand. Students are concerned with understanding these decision making implications. The study of organisational decision making must thus be seen as an essential foundation for marketing communications.