BE300 – Marketing Management Tutor Marked Assessment Spring 2015-2016 Read carefully the following instructions and both cases study, and then answer each question in an essay format. To support your analysis use relevant material from BE300 covered so fa

BE300 – Marketing Management
Tutor Marked Assessment
Spring 2015-2016
Read carefully the following instructions and both cases study, and then answer each question in an essay format. To support your analysis use relevant material from BE300 covered so far and other resources such as AOU e-library articles.
INSCTRUCTIONS:
• Cut-off date: Date will be set by the deanship. All late submissions require approval from the branch course coordinator and will be subject to grade deductions.
• Word count: you should discuss the questions in no more or less than the number of words mentioned for each question (plus or minus 10%).
• Learning outcomes: The purpose of this assignment is to support students’ understanding and application of different concepts learned in BE300.
• Referencing: You must acknowledge all your sources of information using full Harvard Style Referencing (in-text referencing plus list of references at the end). Use E-library: to get journal articles on the topic (Emerald, EBSCO…). Use at least 2 articles.
• Plagiarism: Remember that you should work the information from references into your own original thoughts and INTO YOUR OWN WORDS. Plagiarism will lead to a significant loss of marks. Extensive plagiarism could mean that you failed your TMA. (Refer to AOU definitions of cheating and plagiarism at the end of this document)
• Essay guidance: Your response to each question should take the form of a full essay format. Avoid using subheadings and bullet points. Use BE300 textbook, slides, case study, and E-Library. Plan what you will write, and have a well-organized outline
• Using PT3 form: When you have completed your TMA, you must fill in the assignment form (PT3) posted on your LMS account, taking care to fill all information correctly.
• Turnit-in upload: A soft copy of your TMA and PT3 form should be uploaded to Turnit-in via the link posted on your LMS account, within the cut-off date.
• This TMA is 20% of BE300 Grade.







Question 1: ( 40 marks – 500 words)

A new chain of hyper retail stores is thinking of entering the Arab market. You are nominated to initiate a study to evaluate the Arab market potentiality for this retailing chain. Moreover, you are required to provide recommendations on where these retail stores should be located and how they should be designed. In light of this case, answer the following:
1- Explain the importance of defining the reserch problem. Then, suggest the possible marketing research problem that fits this case? (10 marks)

2- Explain the differences between exploratory, descriptive and causal research. Then, suggest which of these types that best addresses the suggested marketing research problem? Justify your answer. (10 marks)

3- Data comes in different types; primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative. In light of this statement you are required to: (20 marks)
a. Explain the differences between Primary and secondary data and explain how they could answer the marketing research problem of the above case. (10 marks)
b. Explain the differences between qualitative and quantitative data and explain how these two types could answer the marketing research problem of the above case. (10 marks)
Question 2 (60 marks- 1500 words)
Research is the basis for setting marketing strategies. In light of this statement you are required to:
2.1 Select a marketing concept such as service quality, perception, product image, e-service quality, product quality, consumers' motives, and consumers’ awareness, and apply the suggested marketing concept on AOU. For example, the research topic could be "measuring the image of AOU from the surrounding community perspective".(5 marks)
2.2 Then, you are required to develop a theoretical framework that sets an operational definition for the variables selected and suggest explanatory variables for the topic selected. In this part you are required to refer to academic articles relevant to the topic selected to set a theoretical basis and use proper referencing and in text citation. (15 marks)
2.3 Identify the research population and a proper sampling technique. (10 marks)
2.4 Develop a questionnaire that uses closed ended questions with a variety of measurement scales to measure the variables previously discussed in (2.1) and be relevant to the topic (title) selected. (15 marks)
2.5 Distribute that questionnaire on a sample size of 20 of your target research population and initiate descriptive data analysis for the answers revealed to the questionnaire distributed. (10 marks)
2.6 Suggest proper marketing implications for the answers revealed. (5 marks)


End of TMA questions




Grades deduction for:
TMA Presentation: (up to 5 marks)
Up to 5 marks should be deducted for poor presentation or poor organization of the TMA outline and discussion or TMA presented without PT3.
Proper referencing: (up to 5 marks)
Referencing should be both in-text referencing, plus a list of references at the end using Harvard style. Up to 5 marks should be deducted for poor referencing.

Use of E-Library: (up to 5 marks)
A minimum use of 2 articles from AOU e-library is required to support the discussions. Up to 5 marks should be deducted for no use or poor use of e-library.

Word count: (up to 5 marks)
The answers should be within the specified word count. A deviation of 10% is acceptable; if more, a deduction up to 5 marks will be applied.

Arab Open University Definitions of cheating and plagiarism
Plagiarism means copying from internet, from unreferenced sources, from other students’ TMAs or any other source. Penalties for plagiarism range from failure in the TMA or the course, to expulsion from the university.
According to the Arab Open University By-laws, “the following acts represent cases of cheating and plagiarism:
• Verbatim copying of printed material and submitting them as part of TMAs without proper academic acknowledgement and documentation.
• Verbatim copying of material from the Internet, including tables and graphics.
• Copying other students’ notes or reports.
• Using paid or unpaid material prepared for the student by individuals or firms.
• Utilization of, or proceeding to utilize, contraband materials or devices in examinations.”

Penalty on plagiarism: The following is the standard plagiarism penalty applied across branches as per Article 11 of the university by-laws was revisited and modified to be more explicit with regard to plagiarism on TMAs. Penalties include the following:
1) Awarding of zero for a TMA wherein more than 20% of the content is plagiarized.
2) Documentation of warning in student record.
3) Failure in the course to dismissal from the University.
4) All University programs are required to apply penalties that are consistent with the University by laws.