CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
Section 1: Nature and Scope of Marketing: Guidance on Development and Context
This unit has similarities to the Marketing Fundamentals module, but is different from the new Level 3 qualification in that it focuses more on
market orientation and the evolution of marketing. Because this unit considers the influential role of marketing within a marketing-oriented
organisation, students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the concept of customer value as a means of gaining competitive
advantage.
Students will also be expected to show an understanding of the cross-functional importance of marketing, in particular with regard to marketing
planning. Students should also be aware of ethical issues, corporate social responsibility, and societal marketing. They should be able to
explain how marketing has a role in building and maintaining customer relationships, so they will need to understand the concepts underpinning
relationship marketing. This theme forms the basis for studying all the other Level 4 units, since it outlines the basic philosophy of marketing,
providing students with a perspective from which to consider all other units.
Theme 1
Developing and delivering themes
Section 1: The Nature and Scope of
Marketing
Links to the building blocks
Syllabus learning outcomes
Students should be able to:
1.1 Explain the evolution of marketing
orientation.
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1.2 Describe the contribution of
marketing as a means of creating
customer value and competitive
advantage.
1.3 Describe the factors which
contribute to a marketing-oriented
approach to running the organisation.
1.4 Be aware of the difficulties which
might be encountered in developing a
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Evolution of the marketing philosophy: production orientation, product orientation, sales orientation, market vs.
marketing orientation
Contribution of marketing in creating customer value and in responding to competition
Marketing as an exchange process, a philosophy of business, a managerial function, a dynamic operation and a
catalyst for change
Difficulty of achieving marketing orientation: leadership issues, lack of customer knowledge, lack of suitable
infrastructure, conflict between marketing and other functions, inappropriate business philosophy, transactional
approach to business
Importance of internal relationships, setting and achievement of common goals, establishing common information
and control systems, and establishment of clear company policies. The role of the marketing function as an internal
service provider for other functions. The contribution of marketing to the business strategy
Ethical codes of practice (notably the CIM Code of Practice), corporate social responsibility, corporate citizenship.
Social awareness, societal marketing.
CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
marketing orientation with the firm.
1.5 Explain the cross-functional role of
marketing.
1.6 Explain the impact of marketing
activities on consumers, society and the
environment: marketing ethics.
1.7 Be aware of the role of relationship
marketing.
Directed Reading
Chapter 1 of Essentials of Marketing (Blythe)
Chapter 1 of Principles of Marketing (Blythe)
Chapter 1 of Principles of Marketing (Brassington and Pettitt)
Chapter 1 of Principles of Marketing (Kotler et al.)
NB: Jobber approaches the question in a somewhat different way which does not fit the CIM syllabus.
The CIM Code of Practice.
Journal articles
Narver, J.C. and Slater S.F. (1990): The Effects of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability. Journal of Marketing
54 (October) 20-55.
Avlonitis, G. et al (1997): Marketing orientation and company performance: industrial vs. consumer goods companies.
Industrial Marketing Management, 26(5) pp 385-402.
Homburg, Christian: Koschate, Nicole: and Hoyer, Wayne D(2005): Do satisfied customers really pay more? A study
of the relationship between customer satisfaction and willingness to pay. Journal of Marketing April vol 69 issue 2 pp
84-96.
Anderson, Eugene W. Fornell, Claes: and Mazvancheryl, Sanal K. (2004): Customer Satisfaction and Shareholder
Value. Journal of Marketing, vol 68 issue 4 pp 172-185.
Seminar/Group Activity
Ask each student to give a ten-minute presentation on the orientation of his or her own company. To what extent is
customer satisfaction the driving force within the firm? To what extent would a marketing orientation improve the firm’s
competitive position?
Case Study
Visit http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspx?pointerID=2D083A41E4C34AD5A6BE78EB3CF55A11 and read
Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
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CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
Tesco’s corporate history. Now answer the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Websites/resources
Having low costs coupled with high prices must have made Tesco very profitable in the 1950s and early 1960s.
Why would Jack Cohen have lobbied for the abolition of Resale Price Maintenance?
Presumably Tesco’s various customer-focused innovations cost money. Why not simply cut prices even further?
Why have three separate own-brand labels?
What advantages do loyalty cards have for customers and for Tesco’s?
Why stock a range of organic products as well as ordinary products?
www.cim.co.uk (for CIM code of practice)
http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/Regulatoryinformation/Codeofpractice/Consumercodeofpractice/ConsumerCodeofPrac
tice.htm (example of a code of practice)
http://www.imc.co.uk/news/professional_consultancy_article.php?item_id=427&issue=13 (articles on how marketing
can be integrated into the business philosophy)
Assessment support
Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
Ask the students to write two short questions each (with answers separately) based on what they have learnt. Pool the
questions and ask everyone to answer all the questions.
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CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
Section 2: Planning Within the Marketing Context: Guidance on Development and Context
The section on planning within the marketing context is intended to introduce students to the bigger picture of marketing. The theme should make clear to
them the reasons why marketing sets objectives, why the objectives are of a particular type, and their relationship to organisational planning, activities and
outputs.
This theme provides students with a basis of understanding and introduces the concept of the marketing audit which will help them with the Assessing the
Marketing Environment unit, where this subject will be covered in much more detail. The theme also prepares students for the Marketing Information and
Research unit, since research is the basis of all planning.
Theme 2
Developing and delivering themes
Section 2: Planning within the
marketing context
Links to the building blocks
Syllabus learning outcomes
Students should be able to:
2.1 Explain the importance of objectives,
the processes for setting them and the
influences upon them.
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2.2 Identify the various possible
organisational objectives.
2.3 Show how marketing planning is
crucial in a market-oriented
organisation.
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Objectives as a basis for determining future direction, consistency, motivation and measurement. SMART
objectives. Internal and external influences on objective-setting.
Organisational objectives are not confined to profit: sales revenue, market share, growth, technological innovation,
survival, and social responsibility might also be included.
Delivering strategies and achieving objectives, implementing a marketing project, monitoring and feedback, resource
management, measurement of outcomes.
Relationship between objectives and mission, marketing audit, setting objectives, devising strategies, marketing mix
decisions, implementation, monitoring.
The marketing audit as an appraisal of the internal and external environment, SWOT analysis, organisational
competences and capabilities, resources versus capacity to deliver, competitor analysis.
2.4 Describe the stages of the marketing
planning process.
2.5 Explain the concept of the marketing
audit.
Directed Reading
Chapter 10 of Essentials of Marketing (Blythe)
Chapter 2 and 10 of Principles of Marketing (Blythe)
Chapter 21 of Principles of Marketing (Brassington and Pettitt)
Chapter 3 Principles of Marketing (Kotler et al.)
Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
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CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
Chapter 2 of Principles and Practice of Marketing (Jobber).
Journal articles
Chimhanzi, Jacqueline (2004): The impact of integration mechanisms on marketing/HR dynamics. Journal of Marketing
Management September vol 20 issue 7/8 pp 713-740.
Porter, M.E. (1990): How competitive forces shape strategy. Harvard Business Review 57 (2) pp 137-45.
Seminar/Group Activity
Ask each student to carry out an external environment audit for his or her own company. What are the implications of the
audit? What factors do the students’ audits have in common with each other, i.e. which external environmental factors
affect all companies?
Case Study
Visit
http://www.pg.com/company/our_commitment/social_responsibility.jhtml
and
http://www.unilever.com/ourvalues/
and answer the following questions:
1. These two companies are clearly direct competitors. What similarities are there in their social objectives?
2. Why might companies such as these become involved in socially-valuable projects?
3. What other objectives would you expect such companies to have?
4. How might these companies set about planning to achieve their social aims?
Websites/resources
http://www.businessballs.com/freebusinessplansandmarketingtemplates.htm
This site gives advice and a template for planning.
http://www.websitemarketingplan.com/marketing_plan2.htm
This website offers a wide range of articles on improving your marketing planning.
http://www.bplans.co.uk/sample_plans/marketingplans.cfm
This site has a large number of templates for all kinds of businesses: unfortunately it is American, which means that the
plans would need considerable adaptation, but they do offer “worked examples”.
Assessment support
Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
Undertake assignment-based assessment type activities to help prepare for assessments
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CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
Section 3: Guidance on development and control
The marketing mix is covered in more detail at this level than at Level 3, and students will be expected to apply the theory rather than merely quote it. They
should be able to describe and explain the core elements of the 7P model, and be able to evaluate the elements of the mix, explaining how each is important
in differing situations. They should also be able to co-ordinate the mix, and design a coherent tactical response to specific situations.
Regarding the product life cycle, students will not be expected to understand the implications on the mix for each stage of the cycle, as this will be covered at
Level 6: they will only need to understand its implications as a planning tool.
Pricing policies will include some consideration of the influences on pricing policies in each situation.
The focus of the marketing communications taught at this level is upon developing broader and more detailed tactical responses, encompassing a greater
range of communications tools than at Level 3.
Students will be expected to understand the influences, power and challenges of customers when developing the marketing mix.
Students will be expected to be able to explain methods for assessing the success of marketing activities for both the marketing mix and for marketing
communications in particular. They would not be expected to make decisions on which assessment methods to use, but might be expected to know which
measures are usually associated with each activity.
Since the marketing mix is the springboard for all marketing activities, this module forms a basis for studying the remaining units.
Theme 3
Developing and delivering themes
Section 3: The marketing mix
Links to the building blocks
Syllabus learning outcomes
3.1 Students should be able to:
Explain the principles of product
planning.
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3.2 Explain the product life cycle.
3.3 Explain the importance of
introducing new products and services.
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3.4 Explain the NPD process.
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3.5 Explain the effect of price on the
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Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
Branding, product lines and ranges (depth and breadth).
Packaging: design, sustainability, recycling, service support.
PLC stages: development, introduction, growth, maturity, decline, obsolescence. Limitations of the PLC model.
Changing customer needs, the digital revolution, long-term business strategies.
NPD: Idea generation, screening, concept testing, business analysis, product development, test marketing,
commercialisation and launch.
Influence of price on other mix elements (sales promotion, quality surrogate, product specifications, etc.). Income,
revenue and profit generation, contribution to business objectives, limitations of price as a competitive tool.
Absorption costing, cost base and marginal costing, cost plus pricing, price skimming, loss-leader pricing,
promotional pricing, psychological pricing.
Wholesalers, retailers, agents, direct marketing, internet marketing, ending machines, telephone selling,
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CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
other elements of the marketing mix.
3.6 Describe different pricing methods.
3.7 Define the different components of
distribution channels, and show how
they work together to create a
distribution strategy.
3.8 Explain the factors that influence
channel and distribution decisions.
3.9 Evaluate a range of marketing
communication tools and consider their
usefulness in different circumstances.
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franchising and licensing, digital/e-channels.
Multiple channels, location of customers, compatibility, nature of goods/services, geographic/environmental issues,
storage and distribution costs, import/export costs.
Direct response TV advertising, personal selling, sponsorship, PR, direct marketing, sales promotions, digital
technologies, website.
Co-ordinated approach to people, process and physical evidence. Characteristics of services: inseparability,
intangibility, variability, perishability, and non-ownership. Implications of these characteristics.
Budget measurement, objectives attained, sales/revenue, profit and loss, efficiency/effectiveness, zero
defects/returns, level of customer complaints, increased brand awareness, attitude change, repeat purchase and
loyalty.
Innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, laggards.
Designing a mix which is internally consistent and co-ordinated effectively, considering the target market’s needs
and expectations, considering competitive behaviour and response.
3.10 Evaluate the range of
communications media and consider
their impact in different circumstances.
3.11 Explain the contribution of people,
process and physical evidence to the
marketing mix.
3.12 Describe the different methods for
measuring marketing outcomes.
3.13 Explain the adoption of services
and products in terms of customer
characteristics.
3.14 Show how a co-ordinated
marketing mix contributes to customer
satisfaction and competitive advantage.
Directed Reading
Since the marketing mix is such a large part of practical marketing, the reading tends also to be comprehensive.
Chapter 1 of Essentials of Marketing (Blythe) plus chapters 6, 7 8 and 9 for more detail on the mix elements.
Chapter 1 of Principles of Marketing (Blythe), with more detail in chapters 12-22.
Chapters 7-19 of Principles of Marketing (Brassington and Pettitt)
Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
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CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
Chapters 13 -22 of Principles of Marketing (Kotler et al.)
Chapters 8-17 of Principles and Practice of Marketing (Jobber).
Journal articles
Booms, B.H.and Bitner, M.J. (1982): Marketing strategies and organisation structures for service firms.
In Donnelly, J.H. and George, W.R. (eds) Marketing of services. (Chicago: American Marketing Association pp 47-52).
Seminar/Group Activity
Working in small groups, work out a basic marketing mix for one of the following products (each group to work on a
different product).
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A new theme park based on Thomas the Tank Engine.
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An upmarket supermarket chain specialising in delicatessen, organic greengrocery, and high-class foodstuffs
generally.
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A new type of hair gel.
Be as detailed as possible.
Students should be able to refine the product, decide on a target market, and provide basic answers to the problem for
each of the seven Ps.
Case Study
Visit http://www.pfizer.co.uk/default.asp
Now answer the following questions:
1. How would Pfizer market a new prescription drug, given that the general public cannot buy such drugs for
themselves, doctors do not stock them, and pharmacists cannot sell them?
2. What would you expect Pfizer’s NPD process to be?
3. Pfizer produce Viagra. What are the specific marketing problems you might encounter with this drug?
4. How can Pfizer best maintain competitive advantage?
Website exercises/resources
http://www.berr.gov.uk/index.html is the official website of the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory
Reform. It contains a large number of articles and statistics on innovation, as well as advice for innovative businesses.
www.myoffers.co.uk . This website directs users to many sales promotions, providing a useful set of examples.
www.advertisingarchives.co.uk . This site contains advertisements going back over a hundred years.
http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/home/failedproducts/index.html This is an article about failed products,
giving some of the reasons why they fail.
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CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing
http://brand.blogs.com/mantra/2005/02/lovehate_brand_.html . This is a chatroom for people to post their messages of
love or hate about brands. It offers some interesting insights into what goes wrong with brand messages.
Assessment support
Marketing Essentials Tutor Kit
Look at some of the assignment-based tasks from previous Marketing Fundamental assignments as discussion topics
or individual homework activities to help prepare for case study assessments
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