Assessment-

Type: Conceptual Paper

Individually, you are required to provide a written conceptual paper on a marketing topic of your choice. Your goal is to make a conceptual contribution to the scholarly marketing literature to advance current knowledge in your chosen area. It is likely that the readings from the lecture topics will inform your choice of a conceptual paper topic. Moreover, it is likely that the range of theories addressed in the articles throughout the semester will help inform your own choice of a relevant supporting theory for your paper.

This is a research assignment and you will consult and critically review the relevant extant marketing literature whilst developing your conceptual paper.

The purpose of this task is fourfold:

1. Identify a conceptual question that is both important and interesting to address, based on your command of seminal and contemporary literature relevant to your chosen marketing topic.

2. Integrate a meaningful theory which helps explain the conceptual gaps or assumptions that you will challenge as a result of your literature review in seeking to address your conceptual question.

3. Develop a conceptual model diagram with a series of related conceptual propositions which explains the resolution to your conceptual question.

4. Identify and discuss the theoretical and practical implications of your conceptual model.

Please note: If you wish to choose a marketing topic not covered in the lectures, you must seek approval from the course coordinator.

Additional Information:

1. It is likely that the structure and style of the conceptual papers studied in this course will help guide your thinking and will inform the style of writing and tone that you can adopt in your own work.

2. You are required to present a conceptual paper that addresses points or which makes conceptual claims which have not already been substantially covered in the extant marketing literature.

3. You are required to find articles from the extant marketing literature to support your conceptual claims. You are advised to access literature from marketing journals on the Australian Business Dean's Council (ABDC) list. Aim for A* and A level marketing journals where possible. An excerpt of A* and A level marketing journals from the ABDC 2013 list is provided below for your reference. This will be your starting point when searching the literature in the UQ Library databases.

Table 1. Excerpt from the ABDC 2013 List - A* and A Level Marketing Journals

The conceptual paper must include all of the following sections which are to be used as sub- headings:

1. Abstract (100-150 words)

Provide a concise summary of your conceptual paper enticing your reader to read on. Outline your chosen topic as it is related to extant marketing literature, your conceptual claims, your key theory/theories used to inform your work, and your conceptual contributions (managerial and theoretical).

2. Introduction (150-200 words)

Provide a broad overview of the conceptual research question/s and the context for your conceptual paper. You will likely have between 1-2 central conceptual questions that your paper seeks to address. Describe why your selected topic is an important one to the marketing literature. You will likely provide some key references (i.e., seminal and contemporary) to indicate to the reader the literature that your work is grounded in. What are your key conceptual contributions; that is, what is novel, interesting, unique, or important about your conceptual work? In what ways does it extend current marketing knowledge? Provide an outline of the structure and organisation of your paper.

3. Literature Review (800-1000 words)

Review the relevant literature as related to your chosen marketing topic. You will demonstrate your knowledge through an organised, systematic discussion of extant marketing literature, including in-text references. It is likely that you would have somewhere between 15-20 relevant references to extant literature in-text from quality marketing journals to support this goal (or perhaps more, if relevant). Your literature review should be organised in some way, perhaps thematically, or chronologically.

Choose a structure that makes sense for your paper. It is likely that you will use sub- headings to guide the reader. Ultimately, you should aim to synthesise across the literature rather than describing each article separately or individually.

4. Theoretical Development (500-750 words)

What theory are you using to support your conceptual paper? It is likely that some of the theories studied in the lecture topics will provide a useful point of departure. You may source theories from other articles not covered in lectures if appropriate. Will you use one theory, or integrate aspects of two theories? Summarise your chosen theory or theories here so the reader understands the basis for your conceptual model. Note: it is best to avoid too many theories. Choose one or perhaps integrate elements of two complementary theories as advised. You will integrate references to support your claims in this section.

5. Conceptual Model and Propositions (1000-1200 words)

Here you will provide your own new ideas and insights, integrating and synthesising the literature in a novel way. Perhaps you will build on an existing model from the literature. Perhaps you will use theory to challenge an existing model. The choice is yours. Focus on the logic of your claims (i.e., your conceptual propositions). You will advance a series of conceptual propositions in this section, supported by your theoretical rationale and references to extant literature. Where appropriate, provide a conceptual model (a visual diagram) at the end of this section summarising your conceptual propositions. Indicate the nature of the propositions as being either positive or negative if you are positing causal relationships (this is highly likely).

6. Discussion (300-500 words)

Having reviewed the literature and presented your conceptual model and propositions, you must discuss the importance of your model. Discuss theoretical implications stemming from your work for academics and/or marketing educators. Relate your work to existing literature and clearly state the contributions you have made to extend or challenge this literature. Discuss any practical implications that you envisage for policy makers and/or marketing practitioners. Discuss any limitations of your conceptual model and/or propositions. Use this as a stepping stone to provide suggestions for future research or additional conceptual work. It is likely you will use sub-headings to guide the reader. The italicised words in this paragraph are suggested sub-headings for you to use in this discussion section.

Note: By acknowledging any limitations, minor flaws or potential drawbacks you merely delineate the boundaries of your work. View this as an opportunity to motivate a rationale for more work that needs to be done in your important topic area!

7. Conclusion (150-200 words)

Provide a brief summary of your conceptual paper. Demonstrate how you have addressed the conceptual questions proposed in your introduction and whether/how your review of key literature and your conceptual model/propositions has resolved these questions.

8. Reference List

Provide a list of citations only to the articles that you have critiqued, reviewed and/or to the article/s used to support your conceptual paper. Remember you should try to aim for at least 15-20 relevant references from the recommended journals for your literature review alone. Note that you might have other additional articles from which you source your theoretical framework.