Task Details:
Scenario:
You have been appointed as part of a consulting team charged with the task of producing a report on the viability and feasibility of a new target market for a product using exporting as the mode of entry. Your tutor will provide you with the product you are to research and your target market. Your terms of reference are:
Task:
To produce recommendations for an exporting strategy for the product and the target market which includes:
1 An analysis of the business and market environment of the proposed target market relevant to the company’s product.
2 Details relating to market segmentation and distribution channels relevant to the product and target market.
3 Details of the financial issues, practicalities and technicalities associated with moving the product from the company in the UK to the customer in the proposed target market.
Particular instructions to students:
The word count for this assignment is 3,500.
Frequently asked questions:
1 Isn’t this just repeating my assignment one? No, in assignment one you demonstrated that you knew the elements and components of an export strategy/development plan, in assignment two you are asked to actually product a plan for a specific product and target market that you have been allocated.
2 Can I use the information I have gathered in assignment one? You should use the categories, main issues and topics you have researched in assignment one, but in assignment two you will need specific information about the product and the target market to produce an actual plan in relation to these.
3 Where do I get the information from for this assignment? This is a key part of the task, and you should adopt a wide-ranging and creative approach to information gathering. In particular, try to identify any industry specific resources that may be of use. Also, check out information provided by the British government and its business agencies.
Submission requirements
Task 2
An analysis of the business and market environment of the proposed target market relevant to the company’s product. The analysis of the business environment omits one of the PESTL factors or there is little relevant or useful detail to support the proposed export strategy. The analysis of the market environment does not adopt an appropriate framework or the information and data on the market produced is superficial and produces no genuine insights which have relevance to the proposed export strategy. All of the key elements of the PESTL and market environment have been researched but the information provided is rudimentary in terms of detail and insight. All key elements of the PESTL and market environment have been researched and there is some useful information although there is an uneven response in terms of quality and the insight provided with respect to the different elements. All key elements of the PESTL and market environment have been researched with the majority of these being of high quality and showing genuine insight, relevance and usefulness with respect to the proposed export strategy. All key elements of the PESTL and market environment have been researched in detail and there is a high quality response for all of these incorporating genuine insight and sophistication.
Details are provided relating to market segmentation and distribution channels relevant to the product and target market. No evidence of significant research to underpin proposals; little understanding of market segmentation and distribution channels incorporated within proposals; proposals are unsubstantiated and lack conviction.
Some although limited evidence of research to underpin proposals; some understanding of market segmentation and distribution channels but poor application to the proposed export strategy; proposals are offered but with limited substantiation and justification. Evidence of a reasonable amount of research which is linked to and helps to underpin proposals; accurate understanding of market segmentation and distribution channels with some but uneven application to the proposed export strategy; proposals are offered with some substantiation and justification which is of variable quality.
Clear evidence of an extensive amount of research which is linked to and helps to underpin proposals; accurate understanding of market segmentation and distribution channels with direct and clear application to the proposed export strategy; proposals are offered with substantiation and justification to produce a convincing proposal.
Clear and wide ranging evidence of an extensive amount of research which is directly linked to and underpins proposals; accurate understanding of market segmentation and distribution channels with creative and innovative application to the proposed export strategy; proposals are offered with large amount amounts of substantiation and justification drawing upon authoritative sources in a creative way to produce a convincing proposal.
Details are provided of the financial issues, practicalities and technicalities associated with moving the product from the company in the UK to the customer in the proposed target market.
One of the elements is not addressed in the report, or the information provided on the elements is basic, superficial, and of little use to a company involved in implementing the proposal, All of the elements are addressed in the report, but the information provided on the elements is uneven in terms of quality and provides limited guidance for a company involved in implementing the proposal.
All of the elements are addressed in the report, with some of the information provided on the elements being of good quality producing useful guidance for a company involved in implementing the proposal, some aspects of which would benefit from more detailed research. All of the elements are addressed in the report, with some of the information provided on the elements being of high quality producing insight and guidance for a company involved in implementing the proposal.
All of the elements are addressed in the report, the information provided on the elements being of high quality producing insight and guidance and a comprehensive account for a company involved in implementing the proposal, such that no further extensive research would need to be undertaken by the company before it started planning its exporting.
The report is well written, well structured and incorporates appropriate academic referencing and conventions Very poor presentation with many grammatical and spelling errors and inadequate referencing which does not use appropriate conventions.
Serious weaknesses in structure, grammar and spelling with little emphasis on referencing and appropriate conventions. Reasonably clear structure with satisfactory grammar and spelling and attempt to reference using appropriate conventions but with some unevenness of approach. Logical structure and good overall quality of presentation with accurate and sufficient referencing. Coherent and reader friendly, logical structure and good quality of all attributes, comprehensive and accurate approach to referencing and use of appropriate conventions.
Feedback & Feed-forward Strategy and how students can access their Feedback
You will be provided with verbal feedback on class activities (poster presentations and presentations of journal findings). Review meetings will be held with the whole class and the module tutor throughout the duration of the module to generate formative feedback on work in progress for assignment two, and there will be a final briefing session towards the end of the semester. Summative feedback on both assignment one and two will be provided in the form of voice files which you can listen to on PC, lap top, smart phone etc. This will comment on how well the assessment criteria and learning outcomes have been met and will also use a specially designed proforma. You will be able to clarify any outstanding issues after assignment one in one-to-one discussions with the module tutor. Your feedback will be e mailed to you using your SHU e mail address.