Task:
The organisation that you work for, or one that you are very familiar with.
Provide a brief introduction to your chosen organisation, in terms of the industry that it operates in, its products (i.e. goods and/or services) and the market(s) it serves.
(Guidance regarding the length of this Introduction is provided in Point (1) in the ‘Notes' section - see page 4 of this Assignment document).
Critically analyse the macroenvironment for your chosen organisation and examine the key issues / trends / developments. In addition, consider the impact and implications of these findings for your chosen organisation - issues that your answer might examine, but should not be limited to, include:
- How has the organisation responded to these trends / developments? How have these trends / developments shaped opportunities and / or posed threats for the organisation? (For example: adapting its marketing mix for existing goods / services, developing new offerings (for goods and / or services), moving into new markets, moving out of particular markets, development of networks / relationships, etc.)
- Has the effect of these trends been regional, national, international? If applicable, have there been any differences in impact on domestic and international markets? What are the implications of these effects and / or differences for the organisation?
- Are there any linkages / inter-relationships between the factors that have affected the organisation and its marketing strategies?
- Are there any barriers / challenges facing the organisation in understanding its macroenvironment? How can the organisation try to overcome them?
(1) You are required to write concisely to transmit the information and your analysis. The expected overall word count for this assignment is 1500 words in length. Note: the maximum word count allowed is 1700 words. Any assignment that is greater than the maximum word count set will be penalized in the marking process.
ALSO: please note that you are advised to keep the ‘brief' Introduction section for this assignment to within 200 words.
(2) The word count does not include the Title Page, Appendices and the Reference List.
(3) You must adhere to the formatting requirements as indicated in Point 1 on the first page of this Assignment document.
(4) In your answer, make full use of the range of material available in this course (including academic and industry sources [plus market reports and government data]). We would expect to see a minimum of 6 academic references outside of the core textbook.
(5) You should be aiming to not merely ‘describe', but also to provide relevant examination / analysis, using the academic theory and relevant sources (company, industry, government and academic) to support your answer.
(6) Provide appropriate examples to illustrate your points.
(7) You will be required to cite the sources used within the text and to provide one accompanying Reference List (on a separate page at the end of your total assignment response). For guidance regarding citation and referencing, please refer to the MBS ‘Harvard Referencing Guide', a copy of which is available for you to access on Blackboard.