4.3 4.3.

Details of assessment tasks: Individual business report (30%, 10% part A, 20% Part B) The purpose of this assignment is for you to demonstrate your understanding of marketing theory and practice by comparing the marketing approach of two companies in relation to key concepts discussed in week 1-6. This assignment requires you to integrate marketing theory and company activity to demonstrate an understanding of key marketing concepts. Please ensure that the two companies that you select manufacture goods not services, and have a high market profile and a strong web presence. You will also need to select one product from each company. Your choice of companies must be approved by the lecturer/tutor in week 3. An outline of the business report (called Part A) is due 5.00pm Friday of Week 4. In this outline you are demonstrating your understanding of the components of a business report. You are required to provide definitions of report sections and marketing concepts that are correctly referenced. The outline represents 10 marks of the total 30 marks and should be a minimum of 500 words. The outline of the report (Part A) provides the basic structure of the final

report. Once you have received back the outline, address the comments and build on your final report as per the key criteria discussed in each section as indicated as follows: Structure and content required for Part A of the report: Executive summary Table of Contents Industry background chosen Company background Write a paragraph about each of the companies that you have chosen Write a paragraph about each of the products you have chosen Definition required Definition required Definition required Definition required Write a paragraph about the industry

Product overview -

Strategic marketing Macroenvironmental forces-

Microenvironmental forcesSWOT analysisMarket segmentationTarget marketsTargeting strategyPositioning strategyRecommendations-

Definition required Definition required Definition required Definition required Definition required Definition required Definition required

Part B, the report on the companies themselves, is due Friday of week 7 and should be at least 2500 words in length (not including the executive summary, any appendices or reference list). In the final report you need to demonstrate your understanding of the marketing concepts defined in the outline by discussing them in relation to the activity of your selected companies. Structure and content required for Part B of the report: o Executive summary Include the key findings of your reports This is not a summary of your approach Is completed once the report is finalised It appears on a separate page at the beginning of the report It is included before the Table of contents Table of contents Included on a separate page Includes all main headings of the report Includes page numbers for each entry Ensure you know how to correctly set it out Introduction The purpose of your report Introduction of the two companies and two products

o o o o o o

Industry background o A general description of the industry that you have selected including: industry trends, market size and other product segments so while you may choose Coke and Pepsi, you still need to identify other segments in the discussion of the soft drink industry such as sports drinks and others to set the overall view

Company background o Some background information on the two companies that you have chosen including their product segments, market share, and a brief of the product that you have selected

Strategic marketing and planning o Does each company demonstrate that they have a strategic hierarchy? Briefly explain. Macroenvironmental forces o An analysis of the macroenvironmental forces that shape the marketing environment in relation to the industry that you have selected You need to at discuss at least three forces in detail

Microenvironmental forces o An analysis of the microenvironmental forces in relation to each company you have selected detail You need to discuss at least three forces in

SWOT analysis o Discuss the SWOT analysis for each company based on your analysis of the industry, company and macro/micro environmental forces Dont forget a SWOT should include an analysis of the key points you have already discussed in detail in your previous analysis No referencing is required in a SWOT analysis o Market segmentation Discuss segmentation variables Identify the general market segments that your companies targets

o o

Target markets Identify the target markets of the two products you have selected Discuss the characteristics of the target market in relation to various segmentation variables Use a table to list the characteristics of the target markets in relation to each factor of the segmentation variables Targeting strategy o Provide an explanation of the targeting strategy (undifferentiated, differentiated or concentrated?) o How is a targeting strategy chosen?

o What targeting strategy is used by the two companies that you have chosen and why? Positioning strategy o A discussion of the different positioning strategies o What positioning strategy is used by your selected companies? Recommendations o From your analysis of the industry, company, and macroenvironmental and microenvironmental forces, provide recommendations of other potential market segments that may be an option Ensure that you justify your reasoning

How to research information for your report The integration of coursework theory with your research will be central to your report: You are encouraged to use other references from the library including journals and enhance your report You are also encouraged to use diagrams, charts and tables (correctly cited) to enhance your analysis Use the internet to source information about the industry and company or online journals o Wikipedia, marketingtutor.com, learnmba.com and any similar sites are not recognised as credible academic sources so please do not use information from these sites Look at newspaper/magazine advertisements If relevant, visit a supermarket/retailer and observe the products (observation only, no interviewing should occur) Business report checklist

Checklist (for Part B) A signed cover sheet available near the assignment box A title page An executive summary (separate page) A table of contents page (separate page) Introduction (that includes the purpose of the report) Main contents divided with clear headings and subheadings Recommendations Reference list (separate page)

 Make sure you have referenced clearly using the APA referencing style (check General Guide for Presentation of Academic Work publication, available from the bookshop or on-line at www.ballarat.edu.au/generalguide Appendices (if applicable) One appendix per page Assessment criteria of Business report (Outline and Final report) See marking guides attached for key assessment criteria.

Marking Guide Business Report Outline (Part A)

Name Structure Executive Summary Table of contents Industry background Company background Products overview Strategic marketing and planning Macro environmental forces Micro environmental forces SWOT Market segmentation Target markets Targeting strategy Positioning strategy Recommendations Reference list Yes/No Minimum contents Definition Definition Paragraph introducing the Industry Paragraph on each of the two companies Paragraph on each of the two products Definition Yes/No Requirements Reference Yes/No

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APA style