UNIVERSITYOF
OFMALTA
MALTA
UNIVERSITY
THE MATRICULATION EXAMINATION
ADVANCED LEVEL
MARKETING
MAY 2014
EXAMINERS’ REPORT
AM EXAMINERS’ REPORT MAY 2014
AM MARKETING
MAY 2014 SESSION
EXAMINERS’ REPORT
Part 1: Statistical Information
Table 1 shows the distribution of grades for the May 2014 session of the examination.
GRADE
A
B
C
D
E
F
abs
TOTAL
NUMBER
23
61
135
97
58
42
65
481
% OF TOTAL
4.8
12.7
28.1
20.2
12.1
8.7
13.5
100
Part 2: Comments regarding candidate’s performance
2.1 Overall Assessment
In general there were some very good candidates sitting for this exam. There were some inconsistencies in that some
candidates who obtained very high marks in paper 1 did not do as well in paper 2. Others managed to score well in
some questions but did not obtain a good mark in other questions in the same paper. This could have been either the
result of poor time management in answering the paper (evident in some cases) or else some candidates might have
banked on answering some topics and were ill prepared to tackle others. There were some candidates who lost
substantial marks because they did not manage to answer all the questions. Others spent too much effort in replying to
a couple of questions – throwing in everything they know about the topic even if it was not relevant to the question –
which left them scarce time to complete the other questions.
It was also noted that some candidates found it difficult to express themselves in correct English, which can be a
severe handicap in explaining and applying marketing concepts. It is not just a question of spelling but of
communicating their ideas. Many candidates lost marks because of poor application. At ‘A’ level standard one would
expect candidates to go beyond memorising definitions and terms and to demonstrate that they know the subject
matter well enough to apply it.
2.2 Comments regarding Paper 1
Question 1
Many candidates who answered this question had a good knowledge of segmentation and segmentation techniques.
candidates who obtained high marks managed to list the methods of segmentation and to use practical examples of
their applications.
Question 2
Although most candidates who replied to this question knew about the major components that constitute demographic
trends, quite a few where somewhat unclear in how these trends affect businesses beyond the obvious element of the
ageing population. They also tended to focus too much on the negative aspects of demographic trends and not on
emerging business opportunities for some businesses.
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AM EXAMINERS’ REPORT MAY 2014
Question 3
Almost all candidates who replied to this question defined primary research accurately. Candidates were also familiar
with the primary research tools but quite a few applied all the tools to the issue without providing the justification for
it.
Question 4
This was not a popular question, but many candidates who answered it managed to explain the different types of
channels of distribution satisfactorily. The second part of the question proved to be more challenging, particularly the
application to international markets. Most candidates applied their answer to a product rather than a service.
Question 5
This was a popular question and most of the candidates who answered it were able to explain the different stages of
the buying decision process and to distinguish between consumer and organisational buying. Some neglected to
mention the importance of post-purchase behaviour and follow-up as part of the buying process.
Question 6
The main problem with the replies to this question was that many candidates concentrated on defining a brand and the
functions of a brand without delving into the basic requirements of the question – i.e. development of a brand strategy.
This resulted in some of the answers being out of point.
Question 7
This was one of the more popular questions, possible because of the straight forward nature of the question. The
elements of the marketing communications mix were in general well explained with good examples.
Question 8
The candidates who attempted this question were generally well-prepared to explain direct marketing techniques.
Some ignored the fact that question a) carried 12 marks and the answer was short on explanation.
2.3 Comments regarding Paper 2 - Response Analysis Case Study Questions
Overall, candidates fared well in the case study questions. The KIA case study touched upon important concepts in
CRM and the candidates were able to identify how the case is related to CRM and on-line marketing. The best papers
were those that managed to stick to the case study without deviating to unrelated issues or without referring to the
material in the paper.
2.4 Essay Questions – Overall Comments
The range in the quality of answers indicates that some candidates were better prepared for the exam than others. In
general, candidates have to appreciate that marketing is a very applied subject and candidates are tested not simply on
the ability to define marketing terms but more on their knowledge and ability to enrich their essays with practical
examples. Using examples from the Maltese context – which some candidates managed to do - is a delight to
examiners as it displays an effort to appreciate how marketing is not simply a managerial discipline that is applied by
global organisations, but also useful to local enterprises. The questions in paper 2 were intended to bring out this
aspect of marketing, hence their application to public transport, insurance and companies ‘selling smoothies to the
local market’.
Chairperson
Board of Examiners
May 2014
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