“Using concepts that have featured in the module, describe the journey of ONE product from production to consumption (by you).”
I would like to describe the process from production to consumption of qipao for this assignment .
qipao -A type of dress traditionally worn by Chinese women, typically having a high mandarin collar, a split skirt, and a fitted bodice with an asymmetrical closure extending from the neck to the right underarm.
The allowed word count is 600-800 words plus visuals (diagrams, tables, charts etc.). The word count is strict so that you must use visuals to good effect. You should work out for yourself how you can best communicate within these limits and you may present the work in any format that you wish. This is a unique assessment in that it allows you to select the format which best enables you to communicate your understanding.
The assignment draws on the concise presentation skills that you developed in MKTG101 especially through group presentations and the group industry report. You may present the material in any way you think is effective – this gives you ample space for originality and creativity (features of first class work).
Please note: appendices can be used if necessary, but will count towards the word count. Similarly, graphics and tables which are deemed to be excessively ‘wordy’ will also be counted in the word limit.
The task is to explain the journey of the product from the wrong place, wrong time, wrong form, wrong quantity (from the consumption point of view) – and the value adding process whereby it becomes available in the right place, right form, right time, right quantity etc. for consumers. Effective work will be based upon a review of all material in the module and selection of elements that help to evaluate the route to market and explain why it is designed as it is.
A good place to start to think about your route to market is to relate your consumption of this particular product to features in the route to market – what, for you, is the distinctive value proposal and how is the RTM organised to deliver this? Next step would be to check out where it is sold – and at what prices.
You are free to pick any consumer product you wish, but you should pick a product that you can illuminate well by thinking about the route to market. You are strongly advised to select a product based on your personal or career interests. In the past, students who have selected unusual products have been able to demonstrate originality (a criteria for first class work).
You do not need a lot of data about your product – but you will need some. Look at how and where the product is available, check out company websites in the sector you are looking at. Look also for articles about the sector in the Financial Times, other newspapers (via database Nexis) or in the trade press (via ABI inform, select trade press only in the drop down menu). Be critical (another feature of first class work) in accepting what the company says about itself – we have yet to see a company that states “we are not concerned about the ethical supply of our products”. Yet amongst those that claim to source ethically we can critically assess those claims.
Assessment Deadline: coursework must be submitted by 1pm on Friday 23th March (Friday week 20). This should be submitted electronically as a PDF file and no hard copy is required. However, if your work is highly creative and takes some other format, then you must hand this in physically to the Marketing departmental office and additionally submit evidence of the work on Moodle. As a minimum requirement, this should be a photograph of your project.
Coursework Assessment Criteria
Your coursework will be assessed against, and you will receive feedback on, the criteria detailed in the table below.
These criteria (on the left of Table 1. below) are those typically used to evaluate written coursework in the Department of Marketing. Feedforward (on the right of Table 1.) provides guidance to help you translate these criterial into what is needed for this particular piece of coursework.
You can also use the general grade descriptors to help you critically evaluate your own work. The grade given to your work is a summary of the overall standard of the piece of work across all criteria.
Please note: The flexible nature of this assessment format is perceived as liberating for most students, but some can find it a little daunting at first. Be assured that you will be given further advice and opportunities to clarify any concerns as we progress through the module.
Table 1. Coursework Assessment Criteria and Feedforward
Marking Criteria
Feedforward is provided here to help you apply these abstract criteria to this specific piece of coursework.
Feedback will be provided against each criterion.
Argument, understanding and analysis
E.g. Relevance to set question, understanding of the issues, appropriate criticism, balance of the arguments, pertinent analysis, quality of conclusions.
Excellent work will demonstrate careful organisation in order to convey a wealth of information and accurate analysis concisely within the restrictive word limit. Argument will demonstrate critical thinking and original perspectives / insights and will focus on evaluation rather than mere description of the RTM.
This work will explicitly use models and theories from the module to demonstrate understanding and these are likely to form the basis for your graphics.
The RTM presented should demonstrate detailed sector understanding with a critical approach to analysis of value added and/or destroyed.
Sources and evidence
E.g. Use of relevant theory/data, accurate referencing, suitable bibliography.
Excellent work will demonstrate thorough research and engagement with / selection of, a range of relevant and quality sources of information. This will also demonstrate effective use of thoughtful reading beyond the lecture content.
Excellent work will also demonstrate that sources have been analysed in a critical fashion with regards to their authenticity, reliability and accuracy.
Referencing can be a challenge for certain formats, but is required, and should be Harvard style, accurate and demonstrate use of appropriate sources. Where references can’t be applied within the project, they should be supplied as an additional sheet which is attached.
Written communication
E.g. Format and structure, clarity of communication, appropriate illustrations, creativity/originality.
Because of the flexibility with regards to format, there is no standard set of feedforward criteria, but there are common elements which will be shared by all excellent work.
The format of the coursework will be consistent in some way with the product chosen, and effective within its own criteria – i.e. if the format is quirky, it reflects some aspect of ‘quirkiness’ in the product, and is effectively quirky! Likewise, where the chosen format is a professional-style report, then this should be professionally formatted throughout.
Creativity and originality will be evident, but these can just as easily be through the selection and clarity of data presentation, as through use of a ‘creative’ format. In particular, excellent work will include original data presentation rather than graphs/tables/charts which have been copied from another source. Critically, excellent work will present a coherent and compelling narrative throughout.
Written communication should be clear and concise, without explicit attempts to exceed the word limit through use of wordy tables or graphics.
READING
No single textbook covers the content of this module. But, a wealth of relevant material is available electronically from the library and a wealth of media coverage /films is available to you.
You will be provided with a reading list for each ‘theme’ of the module, which will include both compulsory and additional texts. These will enable deeper understanding of key topics will inform both your coursework and exam preparation. In all cases, these will be available electronically, and where possible, the list will provide an appropriate link to the reading.
Since this is very much a module about the real world of marketing and brand management you will be able to access a range of TV and radio programmes for which Lancaster University has purchased copyright. We will make as much as possible available to you – and indicate whether viewing is compulsory or optional. You are also encouraged to keep up to date on RTM issues and developments in key publications, such as Marketing Week and The Grocer.
