INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR COMPLETING AND SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS

The complete ‘Instructions to Students for Completing and Submitting Assignments' must be collected from any IMM Graduate School office or can be downloaded from eLearn. It is essential that the complete instructions be studied prior to commencing your assignment. The following points highlight only a few important notes.

1) You are required to submit ONE assignment per module.

2) The assignment will contribute 20% towards the final examination mark, and the other 80% will be contributed by the examination, however, the examination papers will count out of 100%.

3) Although your assignment will contribute towards your final examination mark, you do not have to earn credits for admission to the examinations; you are automatically accepted on registering for the exam.

4) Number all the pages of your assignment (e.g. page 1 of 4) and write your name and surname, student number and module at the top of each page.

5) The IMM Graduate School requires this assignment to be presented in PDF format. MS Word copies will not be marked. Unless otherwise specified, this assignment must be completed within a limit of 3 500 words, excluding the reference list. Students who exceed the word limit may find that only part of the submitted assignment will be marked.

6) A separate assignment cover, which is provided by the IMM Graduate School, must be attached to the front of each assignment.

7) Retain a copy of each assignment before submitting, in case the original does not reach the IMM Graduate School.

8) The assignment due date refers to the day up to which assignments will be accepted for marking purposes. The deadline is 15:00 on 14 March 2017 for upload to eLearn. Late assignments will be accepted, but 25 marks will be deducted from the maximum mark if received after 15:00 on 14 March 2017 and up to 17:00 the following day, after which no assignments will be accepted.

9) If you fail to follow these instructions carefully, the IMM Graduate School cannot accept responsibility for the return of the assignment. It may even result in your assignment not being marked.

Answer ALL the questions

Advanced Global Marketing is designed in such a way so as to expose you to the realities and challenges of the discipline through case studies, scenarios and practical examples. This assignment assesses your knowledge of global marketing in a practical way.

The prescribed textbook: Lee, K. & Carter, S. (2012) Global Marketing Management. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press, and the article on IKEA and references should be addressed.

Since the goal of this module is to extend your knowledge of marketing to the global context, it is important that you do understand the impact of different marketing environments on marketing strategy development and also be familiar with how a global marketer manages its operations abroad before you attempt this assignment.

Answer the questions stated below. Your assignment must be typed and should adhere to the general rules of the IMM Graduate School of Marketing pertaining to the style and format of assignments.

QUESTION 1

The global marketing environment demands a very different approach to doing business. It is key to giving a company a strategic advantage in satisfying the changing needs and wants of consumers worldwide, with different cultures and backgrounds.
Applying the knowledge that you have gleaned from Lee and Carter (2012, Chapter 1) and Study Unit 1, discuss how the aspects mentioned below can impact on the strategy of IKEA. Motivate your responses.

- new economic powerhouses
- global engagement
- the new consumer
- competition
- global service economy
- technology
- global media

QUESTION 2

With reference to IKEA, describe how it developed/can further enhance a sustainable competitive advantage for its product offering. Include the following models and aspects in your answer:

Application of the SELECT model to the IKEA offering

New sources of competitive advantage
- corporate social responsibility
- knowledge management
- information technology
- relationships

QUESTION 3

In order to expand their global market, IKEA are investigating expansion into Southern Africa. To do this IKEA would need to undertake research and address market segmentation.

Discuss the international marketing research process IKEA would need to follow with respect to introducing its brand and product offerings to Southern Africa Give examples for the various steps in the process relative to the brand.

Global market segmentation

- Discuss the various methods/approaches to segmentation that IKEA could use. Give examples.

- Identify with examples the different bases that IKEA can use for segmentation.

- Suggest and motivate a specific approach for IKEA to follow in its selection of target markets.

QUESTION 4

Should IKEA decide to enter Southern Africa discuss the elements of a creative plan in advertising that they should consider. Reference should be made to their current corporate campaigns (refer the article and references to IKEA) and comment on the applicability thereof to Southern Africa, e.g. language and cultural differences. You are required to comment on each element of the plan vis-à-vis IKEA's current communications as reflected on their website and discussed in the article supplied.

Attachment:- Article – IKEA.rar