Incorporated in 1911, CIM is the world’s leading Professional Body in Marketing with over 60,000 members worldwide, a global student population of over 30,000 and more than 150,000 CIM qualification holders.

The aim of this unit is to provide a detailed explanation of the key theories and practice behind marketing as an exchange process and a business function, but also as a means of creating customer value in the short to medium term. This unit introduces individuals to the importance of the marketing planning process and the role of marketing across the organisation.

On completion, students should be able to explain how to utilise all elements of the marketing mix and how they can be co-ordinated to create a value proposition that reflects the organisation’s objectives.

The focus of this unit is to recognise the nature and scope of an organisation’s diverse range of stakeholders (of which customers are part) and their relative importance to the marketing process and the market oriented organisation.

The unit considers how to manage stakeholder relationships effectively, in terms of utilising a marketing mix that influences and satisfies stakeholder needs in line with the organisation’s business and marketing objectives.

On completion, students should be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the importance and status of different stakeholder groups and the priorities for managing an effective marketing and communications mix to aid relationship development.

The aim of this unit is to provide an understanding of the nature and scope of the internal and external marketing environment with broad consideration of the impact of international and global marketing.

The unit seeks to provide an overview of the significance of the marketing environment within the confines of the PESTEL model, but with consideration of issues including environmental and economic sustainability.

The unit addresses the key characteristics of the marketing environment and assesses the impact of market forces that are uncontrollable and how an organisation responds to them. On completion, students should be able to demonstrate a detailed understanding of the internal, micro and macro environment.

This unit focuses on the importance of marketing information in gaining a more indepth understanding of both the market in which the organisation operates and the customers it seeks to serve.

It aims to provide an understanding of how marketing information supports marketing decisions within the organisation and how information contributes to the overall marketing process. The unit explores different research methodologies and encourages consideration of complementary approaches to collecting a range of market and customer information.
By the end of the unit, students should be able to demonstrate a thorough knowledge and understanding in the ways of collecting and manipulating information.

Work based assignment involving the preparation of a marketing plan.

By the end of this unit, students should be able to apply the concept of the marketing planning process to a variety of organizational contexts and sectors, and to account for their varying goals when developing marketing plans. They should be able to demonstrate their ability to relate the challenges posed by a dynamic marketing environment to the marketing planning needs of different organisations and to devise appropriate, innovative positioning strategies in response to environmental changes.

Three hour unseen examination based on a pre-seen case material. (A residential one day workshop will be conducted for this module)

By the end of the unit, students should be able to apply the marketing mix and determine strategies that deliver highly effective and competitive marketing activities that meet customer needs and organisational objectives, in different organizational contexts and sectors. Students should be aware that the unit addresses marketing in the context of both domestic and international activities.

By the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate how they would approach the management of the marketing function and its associated marketing teams, including effective resource and financial management.

Work-based project requiring an in-depth study of a specific and focused area of business activity.

By the end of this unit, students should be able to develop an effective business case within different organizational contexts and justify their project proposals in terms of fit with the marketing strategy, evaluation of risk and the effective use of organizational capacity and capability.

The purpose of introducing emerging themes at the very beginning of the course
is to challenge students’ assumption that by the time they reach Level 7 they
know everything there is to know about marketing. This unit should challenge
their conceptual thinking and encourage them to consider how businesses need
to respond to emerging themes from a marketing perspective. As well as
establishing academic robustness from the onset, the unit will give students an
insight into the latest issues that are impacting upon marketing in both today’s
and tomorrow’s dynamic and changeable business environment. A unique
feature of this unit is that the emerging themes covered will be updated annually,
ensuring that students have exposure to current thinking from a variety of
disciplines.

Assessment
Writing of a journal article in the context of either micro, meso or macro themes arising from the ‘emerging, contemporary issues, which will be annually updated.

Candidates will also prepare a discussion paper on chosen themes within the
context of the micro, meso or macro environment and discuss the impact on their
business and industry in the future.

This unit prepares students to undertake a strategic audit of the organisation in
order to assess its ability to deliver its business and marketing strategy, and to
make strategic choices and decisions based on that audit within the context of a
dynamic global market place. The unit focuses on the tools for strategic decision
making of this type, including financial and risk analysis for each decision.

Assessment
This unit is a pre-seen case study examination. The case study is comprehensive
(in the region of 30 pages in length), allowing candidates to undertake a detailed
analysis of the case material in advance of the examination. Marks will be
awarded for how the candidate uses the analysis in the examination, not for the
analysis itself. The case study paper will comprise three examination questions.

The purpose of this unit is to develop the skills to evaluate options, make
strategic decisions and develop strategic plans based on a clear understanding
of the organisation’s need for change and how best to manage it, providing clear
and strong leadership. This unit should address one of the major criticisms of
employers that the existing syllabus does not adequately prepare students to
justify, lead and implement the changes that their strategic marketing decisions
require. Employers felt that marketers should be able to view the organisation
from a strategic perspective, and through strong leadership represent marketing
at senior/board level.

Assessment
This unit focuses on developing and delivering strategic marketing plans in
support of the organisation’s value proposition. It builds on the knowledge and
skills developed in Unit 2.
This assessment is an integrative work-based project, which will include a range
of ‘strategic organisational’ challenges in a workplace setting and will require
candidates to demonstrate strong and relevant leadership in their resolution. The
scenario and problem-based tasks will vary for each assessment and therefore
weighting of tasks will also vary. All tasks will be mandatory.

This unit sees the return of marketing communications to the postgraduate
diploma in marketing, but this time looking closely at the strategic role of
marketing communications in managing the organisation’s reputation, including
the corporate brand and corporate positioning. This unit has a significant amount
of new content, which moves CIM forward in its coverage of marketing
communications, making it more dynamic, relevant and leading edge. The unit
looks at the nature and characteristics of reputational management, and at
managing the dimensions of an organisation’s reputation. In the third part, it
examines closely the methods of developing effective corporate communications.

Assessment
This is a work-related assignment comprising:
a. Compulsory core task (weighting 60%)
b. One Elective chosen from three options (weighting 40%)
The tasks will examine different aspects of corporate reputation in the
context of a student’s own organisation, or one they know well. It will
include a range of assessment approaches including the writing of
articles, case studies, white papers and reports utilising a range of new
and innovative technologies.