MSc Marketing & Strategy

Technology has led to a proliferation of social media channels. These channels enable peer-to-peer communication as well as providing brands with many more ways to reach their customers, have relevant conversations with them, and listen to what matters to them. This module develops an understanding of how brand managers can access and use social media channels as part of their marketing strategy in order to build brand presence and maintain relevance in the life of their customers.

Through this module you will develop a greater understanding of the fast growing, changing world of social media channels and their relevance to customers, brands and the firm. The module aims to develop an appreciation of how the firm’s integrated marketing communications, brand management, and content management strategies are impacted by social media channels, and to examine the strategic opportunities and challenges these present.

Specific objectives of the module include:

• Understanding the role of social media in achieving the objectives of the firm's integrated marketing communications strategy.
• Understanding the significance of a content management strategy, including selecting and combining appropriate social media tools for stages of the customer journey.
• Linking social media into the marketing mix, including understanding their relevance in developing product, place, and service decisions.
• Understanding how to use social media as a tool for insight into changing customer needs
• Recognising the advantages and pitfalls of earned media including brand communities, viral marketing, and PR crises.

Challenge thinking about the underlying principles of marketing by exploring aspects such as customer experience (CX), servitisation, service innovation and user experience (UX). Develop knowledge of how consumer needs and expectations translate into activities to enhance the customer experience and add value. 

You'll develop knowledge of international contexts and how these allow organisations to enhance customer experience, as well as understanding how to assess customer expectations in context and to develop and deliver activities that meet those expectations. Further to this you will develop understanding of effective monitoring and measurement techniques that improve customer experience.

The digital landscape is evolving and it is essential to understand the opportunities and challenges presented with the use of digital platforms and technologies. Develop a comprehensive insight into the practices of digital marketing and strategy. Develop knowledge-based skills linked to marketing, strategy, research and tactics. Examine the strategic underpinnings of digital implementation and market disruptions. Critically examine prevailing digital trends such as social media, search engine optimisation, viral marketing, virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

This module will provide you with the theoretical foundations, appropriately supported by real-life examples, to help understand how global business works today.

Anyone who picks up a newspaper or watch the news on television or radio or social media will immediately understand the importance of global business and how it has become central to decisions made by governments and their regulators - the trade conflict between the US and China, all the problems for global businesses (as well as the people of the UK and Europe) arising out of Brexit and the potential disruption to global supply chains for companies as diverse as car manufacturers and financial services. Furthermore, environmental crises and disruptions come in various forms: economic recessions, disease outbreaks, as well as terrorist attacks – many of which cannot be easily predicted and impose numerous non-trivial costs on firms, particularly MNEs due to their multimarket exposures. At the same time, MNEs are accused of behaving irresponsibly in their quest for global market growth, which is likely to impose further costs on these firms.

By the end of the module, you will be able to dig deep into these news headlines and gain real insight into the issues in order to discuss how MNEs can build sustainable business models in today’s global business environment.

Discover the process of product creation, from ideation through to commercialization and the successful implementation of its introduction into the marketplace.

This module will:

• Provide you with an opportunity to examine different concepts and methodologies for generating ideas and design thinking
• Hone your critical thinking skills by looking at the value, use and effective application of design thinking ideas in organisations
• Enable you to turn your ideas into viable business plans
• Develop your skills in selecting the appropriate target for design thinking interventions
• Develop your research skills to analyse effective product marketing
• Develop your awareness of the commercialisation process of innovative ideas
• Gain an opportunity to develop practical managerial skills, including decision making, commercial awareness and project managerial skills.

From the shop-floor to the board-room the ways individuals and teams employ digital technology to execute strategy can make the difference between success and failure. Using the latest strategy learning techniques used in leading firms and consultancies (business simulations, interactive workshops, live video case studies, apprentice-style challenges), this module will take you on a learning journey. At the end of the module, through analysis and immersion in real-life strategy situations, you will develop a toolkit to help you grow as a competent strategist and deal with agile transformations. These skills are essential for a career in consultancy or strategy roles.

This module will:

• Allow you to critically discuss a selection of current issues in digital strategy and agile transformation
• Enhance your critical thinking and creativity in individual and group settings
• Develop your skills in analysing complex, real-life strategic problems.

The Business in Practice module is the core capstone module for students who choose this route instead of the dissertation route. It will illustrate business theory in practice by combining academic lecture input with expert practitioner insights, and will also provide intensive personal work-skills development via the WBS CareersPlus team. The module is taught over two intensive weeks incorporating an innovative and exciting business simulation. 

If you select the dissertation route you will work with an allocated academic supervisor and research a topic relating to Marketing & Strategy. The module is assessed by an 8,000 word formal dissertation. 

The module will allow you to synthesise, apply and extend the knowledge you have gained in the taught component of the course. The investigation of a contemporary research topic will help to develop your theoretical and practical understanding of current problems in your pathway area, as well as your research and communication skills. Emphasis will be placed on taking a critical approach to the assumptions of prior literature and the methodologies you adopt to address your research question. Lectures will also cover the basics of selecting research methods for your proposal.