Fundamentals of

MARS

PAPER STUDY
GUIDE
485000
Semester one 2015

Contents
Welcome to Fundamentals of Marketing, Advertising, Retailing and Sales (MARS)3
Paper information.................................................................................................. 3
Prerequisite requirements..................................................................................3
Paper aim........................................................................................................... 3
Learning outcomes............................................................................................. 3
Content............................................................................................................... 4
AUTonline programme organisation.......................................................................4
Texts...................................................................................................................... 4
Weekly programme................................................................................................ 5
Assessment information........................................................................................ 5
Extensions and other Special Consideration Applications (SCAs).......................6
Assessment structure......................................................................................... 6
Exam schedule................................................................................................... 6
Pass requirements.............................................................................................. 6
Assessment event details................................................................................... 7

Welcome to Fundamentals of Marketing, Advertising, Retailing

and Sales (MARS)
You are expected to read the contents of this study guide, also available on
AUTonline under All My Courses.
This paper runs for

12

weeks, and has

sessions per week. Students will be required to supplement each hour of class
with 2 hours of their own work: This is a level 5
paper, worth
15

points.

Teaching team and contact details:

Lecture
Yingzi Xu
(Paper
Coordinator)
City campus
Doug Lloyd
City campus

Phone
9219999
extn 5033

Email
yxu@aut.ac.nz

Office hours
Wednesday
3pm

extn 5828

dlloyd@aut.ac.nz

Tuesday, by
appointment,12pm

Sanjaya Gaur
City campus
Katharine Hoskyn
South campus

extn 5465

sgaur@aut.ac.nz

extn 5349

khoskyn@aut.ac.n
z

1-

Friday 12-2pm
Monday 11am12noon

Paper information
This paper is designed to give you a basic introduction to Marketing, Advertising,
Retailing and Sales, these four key areas of business and to provide a foundation
for studying any of the four discipline areas as a major or minor in your degree.
Prerequisite requirements
None.
Paper aim
An introduction to the roles, functions and processes of marketing, advertising,
retailing and sales. Students explore approaches and techniques for effective
decision making in each of the four areas of business.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this paper the student will be able to:
1. Apply core principles of marketing practice
2. Examine advertising and communication approaches
3. Identify and analyse strategies used by retailers

4. Examine selling and negotiation processes

5. Recognise issues relevant to ethics and social responsibility in marketing,
advertising, retailing and sales.
Content

Marketing concept, value proposition

Segmentation, targeting and positioning
Marketing mix
Understanding markets marketing research, buying behaviour
Techniques for effectively communicating with the market
The role of advertising agencies
Forms and types of retailing
Retail location
Store design
Sales processes and approaches
Negotiation in sales
Ethics and social responsibility

AUTonline programme organisation

Details of all papers, major requirements, full paper descriptors, exam schedules
(mid semester and final), assessment forms, semester timetables and all other
information relevant to current students can be found on AUTonline
(http://autonline.aut.ac.nz) under:
My Organisations
Business Undergraduate Programme Information

Texts
There is no prescribed text for this paper. Students are encouraged to use AUT
library resources to consolidate their learning, for example, introductory texts on
marketing, advertising, retailing and sales and e-library databases such as WARC
and EBSCO.

Weekly programme
We
ek
1

Marketing:

2
3
4

Topic

Module

Advertising:

Paper overview
The marketing concept; value proposition; the
marketing mix
Segmentation, targeting and positioning
Understanding markets buying behaviour;
marketing research
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) and
advertising core components
Assessment 1: Marketing Essay

The relationship between advertising and

marketing and the client-agency relationship
6-17 April Mid-semester study break

6
7

Retailing:

Traditional and contemporary advertising media

landscapes
The basics of retailing
Motivations for shopping
Assessment 2: Advertising Test

8
9
10

Sales:

Retail strategy and store location

Store design and visual merchandising
Sales processes and approaches
Assessment 3: Retailing Essay

11
12

Negotiation
Ethics and social responsibility in marketing,
advertising, retailing and sales
Assessment 4: Sales Test

Assessment information
All students should obtain a copy of the Business Assessment & Study Handbook
which includes information on:

Academic Integrity
Attendance Policy
Assignments (Format, Presentation, Referencing, Submission)
Exams (Regulations, Timetables)
Assessment (Handback of Assessments, Uncollected Assessments,
Reconsideration)

Results

This handbook is available online from My Organisations on AUTonline

(http://autonline.aut.ac.nz)
Please note: Assessments may be copied and kept for moderation and
programme administration purposes. Presentations may also be videoed.
Extensions and other Special Consideration Applications (SCAs)
Students may apply for an extension or for special consideration for exams or
tests where there are exceptional circumstances.
The SCA form is available from your programme organisation on AUTonline or
your programme office.
For assignment extensions please complete the SCA form prior to the
assessment due date. Submit the form to
business@aut.ac.nz

For Special Consideration Applications for exams or tests please complete the
SCA form and submit to WF1 reception or business@aut.ac.nz.

Assessment structure
Item
% of mark
allocation

Group/individu
al

Due date

Marketing
Essay

12.5%

Individual

Monday 23 March, 12
noon

Advertising Test

12.5%

Individual

Monday 27 April, time

TBA

Retailing Essay

12.5%

Individual

Monday 18 May, 12
noon

Sales Test

12.5%

Individual

Tuesday 2 June, time

TBA

Final Exam

50.0%

Individual

TBA

Exam schedule
All exam schedules are available on AUTonline, under My Organisations, via the
Exams & Handback tab. Visit the student computer kiosks on WF1 and WF7 to
view the schedules, or go to AUTonline (http://autonline.aut.ac.nz).

Pass requirements
Students are expected to attempt every assessment event. In order to gain a
pass in this paper you must obtain 50% overall in the paper.

Assessment event details

ASSESSMENT 1 MARKETING ESSAY
Due Date:

Monday 23 March by 12noon

Weighting:

12.5%

Type:

Individual Assignment

Length:

1200 words maximum excluding references.

Submission:

Electronic submission to Turnitin via AUTonline

Requirements:

Write an essay that identifies and evaluates, with evidence,

how the marketing concept has been applied to a specific
product or service of your choice.
Your essay should be based on your observations of marketing
decisions and activity for your chosen brand. Include evidence
of these activities e.g. screenshots of websites, advertisements
or social media engagement, photos of packaging or other
images.
Support your ideas with relevant marketing concepts,
acknowledging your sources. Use APA 6th ed. referencing and
include a Reference List.
Present your report clearly and professionally, using a format
of your choice e.g. brief introduction, main body with subheadings, brief conclusion.
Note: The evidence you use in your essay must be
based on your own observations and on information
from publically available sources only.

Programme
Learning Goals:

Be self-directed, reflective learners

Be knowledgeable in their major field of study
Be critical enquirers and creative problem solvers
Be effective communicators

Paper Learning

This assessment event measures Paper Learning Outcome (1)

stated in 3.3 above.

Outcomes:

ASSESSMENT 2 ADVERTISING TEST

Due Date:

Monday 27 April, time to be advised

Weighting:

12.5%

Type:

Individual online test

Length:

One hour

Submission:

Completed on AUTonline

Requirements:

A mix of multiple choice and true-false questions on the

Advertising module.

Programme
Learning Goals:

Be self-directed, reflective learners

Be knowledgeable in their major field of study
Be critical enquirers and creative problem solvers

Paper Learning
Outcomes:

This assessment event measures Paper Learning Outcome (2)

stated in 3.3 above.

ASSESSMENT 3 RETAILING ESSAY

Due Date:

Monday 18 May, by 12 noon.

Weighting:

12.5%

Type:

Individual written essay

Length:

1,200 words, excluding Reference List

Submission:

Electronic submission to Turnitin via AUTonline

Requirements:

Select and visit a local retailer. After making observations of

its operations, write a report on this retailer that includes the
following:

Brief history of the company

Retail strategy by retail mix
Store location and hours
Merchandise assortment
Operational and/or strategic recommendations for the
retailer.

Support your ideas with relevant examples and retailing

concepts, acknowledging your sources. Use APA 6 th ed.
referencing and include a Reference List.
Present your essay clearly and professionally, using a format of
your choice e.g. brief introduction, findings, conclusions and
recommendations.
Note: Your essay must be based on your own
observations and information from secondary sources
such as library databases and the Internet.
Programme
Learning Goals:

Be self-directed, reflective learners

Be knowledgeable in their major field of study
Be critical enquirers and creative problem solvers
Be able to make business decisions that take into account
social, ethical, environmental and global dimensions
Be effective communicators

Paper Learning
Outcomes:

This assessment event measures Paper Learning Outcome (3)

stated in 3.3 above.

ASSESSMENT 4 SALES TEST

Due Date:

Tuesday 2 June, time to be advised

Weighting:

12.5%

Type:

Individual online test

Length:

One hour

Submission:

Completed on AUTonline

Requirements:

A mix of multiple choice and true-false questions on the Sales

module.

Programme
Learning Goals:

Be self-directed, reflective learners

Paper Learning
Outcomes:

This assessment event measures Paper Learning Outcome (4)

stated in 3.3 above.

Be knowledgeable in their major field of study

ASSESSMENT 5: FINAL EXAM

Exam Date:

All exam timetables are available on AUTonline, under My

Organisations, Business Undergraduate Programme
Information, via the Exams & Handback tab.

Weighting:

50%

Type:

Exam

Length:

3 hours

Programme
Learning Goals:

Be self-directed, reflective learners

Be knowledgeable in their major field of study

Be critical enquirers and creative problem solvers
Be able to make business decisions that take into account
social, ethical, environmental and global dimensions
Paper Learning
Outcomes:

This assessment event measures paper learning outcomes (1)

to (5) inclusive, stated in 3.3 above.