Introduction
There are two marketing topics to be discussed in this paper. The first part is a critical evaluation on the concept of marketing as taught to students on a typical marketing course. In dealing with this, sample universities in the United Kingdom (UK) with marketing courses are used: namely, Lancaster University (LU), University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and University of Lincoln (UL). In the second part, the importance of being a market-led organization in producing and implementing marketing plans will be discussed.
The Concept of Marketing in (UK) Classroom Situations
Generally, the three universities have similar teaching methods which include lectures, tutorials, simulation, role playing, case analysis and live marketing research (). With this, they are using partnership approach in teaching ( 2002 ). In lectures and tutorials, teachers are the center of learning with minimal recourse to student’s motivation while the later coursework are provided for students to express their own interests not on general terms but on specific marketing exercises. Due to this, this teaching mode suggests that marketing is a social science and a discipline that is also being influenced by other social sciences like economics, psychology, philosophy and management (2003).
There is less need to apply intensive teacher-centered approaches because there is not enough collection of exact cause-effect relationships between marketing strategies and customer responses. Teachers are not in the position to provide an “enclosed” discussion where their expertise and experience can strictly apply. Loopholes in such teaching method can be eminent and questioned. Due to lack of scientific basis rather market research which is affected by numerous factors, the teacher has to give independence to students on how the latter can identify the most significant factors throughout market conditions. If any, teacher-centered approaches can be most effective when instilling marketing theories and concepts which will form the framework for student’s coursework selection.
For example, market data can change over time due to changes in population demographics or economic situation. If students are fixed to learn under strict conditions of lectures and tutorials, their creativity to solve marketing problems that arise with market dynamism may not be fully-developed. Perhaps, they will rely on theories whose effectiveness is eclipsed by historical as well as abrupt market developments. However, through simulation and live research, their reactive problem-solving skills can be polished through the direction of real business environment. Further, as they rationalize marketing concepts and teacher discussions using the lens of market current reality, they can widen their pro-active abilities which can aid in formulating marketing strategies later.
In addition, the annual progress of the marketing courses of these universities is exemplified by an inverted pyramid ( ). This is because at the first year of the course, students are exposed to foundations of marketing which includes theories, principles and their connections to other business-related functions such as management, accounting, law, economics, etc. As mentioned earlier, they are equipped with the framework for initial market analysis which is polished as they go through the course. In effect, their prospectus embodies a favorable way for students to improve their long-term memory (LTM) and retrieve past knowledge or experiences through meaningful learning ( 2000). As LTM is like an organized closet which specifically classifies shirts to pants ( ), initial exposure to theories will build the necessary closet for students to easily grasp, store and retrieve succeeding marketing learning.
For the three universities, the first year implies a marketing concept under the managerial school of marketing of 1950s (2003). This concept views marketing as the job of a manager. Since management responsibility highly involves conceptual ability or seeing the whole picture, the first year concerns for wider concept of marketing (in UCLAN), alerting to marketing (in LU) and marketing in context (in UL) are synonymously conceding to the significance of managerial outlook to the course. On the second year, the three universities are basically in chorus to introduce operational tasks under marketing. They are offering lectures and simulation in the topics covering consumer behavior (LU), buyer behavior (UCLAN), product development (UL) and other specific marketing disciplines. In this setting, the concept of marketing under schools of thought from post-1950s onwards are covered which include buyer behavior of , social exchange by and service excellence by (2003 ).
In the third year, which is the last year of the course (except for UL that offers optional work experience adding one year in the prospectus), the operational/ specific nature of the second year is infused in strategic setting. The third year is generally characterized by dissertation writing. As students are exposed to live research in their second year, it is conceded that they have enough rationalized tools in preparing meaningful and substantial dissertations. The concept of strategic marketing is introduced. This phase of the course necessitates students to prove that they already have enough rationalized tools for analysis as they undergone the second year (operational/ application) that eventually enforces/ redefine the first year (theories). Without this growth, students may not know when to use several approaches in formulating strategy such as rational (model-based)), flexible (scenario planning), creative (imaginative planning), behavioral (people-based) and incremental (improvement-based) ( 2000). Due to this, the final year is the ultimate evaluation test for students if considerable learning and understanding about marketing theories and realities become part of the LTM.
In comparison, on the other hand, these universities also have course specific deviations from one to another making their marketing courses distinct. In terms of geographical emphasis to customer needs, UL has greater international focus due to the inclusion of exporting and international marketing strategy in its course (). This makes marketing concept more complex as customer behavior are affected by different macro-, micro- and global factors. In contrary, this can also improve the tolerance base of students to consider marketing issues in a more detailed and careful analysis. Unlike LU in which the focus is a general pursuit for customer satisfaction and UCLAN in searching and serving “real” customers (), UL course limits the effectiveness and workability of marketing concepts within a certain locale in which sharing of environmental and social influences including the nature of industries are considered.
However, UCLAN has its own way to brief students in the importance of international marketing and adaptability of strategies. In the second year, students have an option to spend their operational learning in other European countries ( ). Although regional rather international exposure is involved, conversing alongside marketers and spending time under consultancy type scenarios make the endeavor to have simulation and practicing environments at the same time. In addition, unlike other universities like LU that assesses students by at least 50% on examinations (), UCLAN puts no weighing on exams rather results of research papers, presentations and other simulation activities (). In doing so, UCLAN effectively administers the inverted pyramid type of teaching in which specific/ experiential/ dynamic knowledge are encouraged to rationalize marketing theories and concepts. This is confirmed by the fact that UCLAN course seemingly is learner-centered because students are given the opportunity to choose to study in other European countries and aspects that they want to be developed whether to an entrepreneur or pursue a career (second year) or choice to be a strategic marketer or specialized one (third year) ().
Conclusion
In summary, the concept of marketing as taught to students in a typical (UK) marketing course is basically described as customer-driven. The way how universities encourage students to actively participate in actual and practical marketing conditions ultimately leads to a state of dynamic thinking. The undermining of theories in the later stages of the course also serves as evidence to accept that all teaching strategies, student independence and course progression are intended for students not only to continuously innovate, but more importantly, to angle such innovation in relation to complexities and ever-changing aspects of customer behavior. The lack of science in marketing is a disincentive for students to passive learning but an incentive to actively impart solutions in what they view is appropriate based from real-life experience, theoretical background and conceptual abilities. This is why sample universities are teaching effectively under similar course characteristics while varying aspects of their prospectus imply that some are devising ways to boost dynamic thinking.
The Importance of a Market-Orientation in Accomplishing Marketing Plans
According to (2006), a marketing plan is a highly detailed and heavily researched document. On the other hand, an organization that intends to produce a plan could be constrained by time, manpower and funding due to the urgency of satisfying customer needs. In general, this is where the first advantage of being a market-led organization can be seen. It makes the plan writer/ researcher to focus his attention to the ultimate indicator of marketing factors which is the consumer themselves. By doing so, the analysis of PESTEL and five forces can be approached with emphasis on key and relevant issues. The writer can simplify the task.
Most common external issues to be researched would be changes in wage and tax levels (for consumers) or interest rates and industry indicators (for business customers). Basically, the plan can undermine political, technological and environmental factors except for revolutionary incidences like an corporate oil spill or change in presidency. Nevertheless, extensive research would likewise not necessary because such occurrences tend to be obvious to all competitors which makes the market knowledge mere industry adjustments and not a value-creating strategy. With regards to a broader spectrum of customers under social factors, changes in preferences or demographics can be easily understood through a market-led plan preventing redundancy and adopting segmentation strategy.
With regards to five forces, activities of potential and current competitors are indirectly resolved within acceptable level in the entire industry markets and within valuable level in specific target markets. This is possible as market-orientation makes the firm strategies aligned with the requirements of the market as well as attracting/ keeping valuable customers (2003 ). Due to this, even though the firm is less knowledgeable on the actions of competitors, due to niche marketing it is able to keep its customers. Alternatively, it will be able to understand the significance and impact of such actions depending on the movements of customer demand and status of market base. As an example, the inability of Ford models to address the need of customers for extra door cost it $560 million to rectify advantages lost to (). The adverse effects of customer shift due to innovation is proved to be costly not solely indicative of competitor action but more significantly on customer response.
Further, as market-orientation is the key in defining the operation of the business (2000 ), the purpose, mission and internal analysis parts of the marketing plan are made consistent to what the organization is capable of doing. In comparing a product- versus market-led description of the nature of business, the “we run an airline” tagline of the former is expanded to “we transport people and their goods anywhere in the world” by the latter. As observed, the succeeding statement is more particular in highlighting the capabilities of the firm and suggesting where it positions its competitive advantage. The preceding, however, sounds less valuable and differentiable to customers due to its generalization and standardization implications. In this respect, the affected initial and core parts of the plan tends to be straightforward that can immediately call for corporate or departmental attention.
As the plan basically involves market and product compatibility, the inability to satisfy customer needs by the available offerings would only result to a futile strategy, tactics and budgeting. The weakness tends to be contagious since products are not adjusted to the market or vice versa. However, when a firm is market-oriented, it can easily identify and act in terms of the difference of B2B and B2C relationships (2003 ). This inclination has critical role in rationalizing (if not, classifying) effective programs relating to four Ps of marketing. For example, B2C relationships emphasize more of the pricing aspect of the product (except for high-end, specialty ones) while B2B is on informative nature in promotions. With such distinction, the plan can avoid misleading analysis and proposals. For example, there is a statement on the plan that relationship marketing is important to a certain program success. As B2B largely depends on personal relations not on well-defined product features in B2C, market-led cognition makes the firm aware on the extent of the program and its impact to individual as well as group customers including the associated costs and benefits.
On the verge of plan approval, funding requirements to the plan proposals are also resolved by a market-led organization. Since market-orientation gives the firm the ability to align vertical functions and horizontal processes (2003), the plan is basically prepared under the conditions of value-creating and cost-saving framework. This is because when the value chain is made lean but mean, it develops integrated links where knowledge can be shared, quality is standardized and inefficient associate is improved. On the other hand, similar chains can achieve economies of scale when processes are done in a coordinating manner. Operational defects, wastes and mediocrity are resolved in a choral manner. The motivation to do so come from the awareness of every organizational member that the end-result of what they do is intended to satisfy customer needs, boost sales and receive benefits from result outcomes. This scenario makes the market-led plan financially and strategically feasible.
At the tip of the discussion, the post-approval and implementation strengths of the plan are still unknown. However, it should be clear that the ability of a market-led organization to make the plan simple, straightforward, consistent with organizational competencies and efficient to funding makes the plan effective in the implementation stage as it provides managerial ease to discover SWOT and organizational stance to the validity of the plan. This not only makes the plan time and financially conscious but more importantly avoids the resistance to changes that would result to implementation on managerial and staff levels. With a comprehensive plan, it obtains flexibility to allow contingent actions to dominate in the tactical aspects. It also alters the possibility for the firm to end up in situations being “oblivious to market”, “customer compelled” or “ignoring the customer” ( 2003 ) as it is prepared with relevant and updated market data on hand. Finally, it saves the firm from being risk-averse due to overly researched conditions of the environment, industry and the entire market.
Conclusion
The organization derives methodological incentives for being market-driven in producing and implementing marketing plans. However, the extent of the importance being in such cognition is affected by several factors such as the industry the firm belongs (high-end or low-end), product life cycles (highly innovative or commodity-type), among others. For example, market-orientation in preparing/ executing plans can be more suited in specialty products where customers have already employ loyalty. This results from high switching cost to change brands enabling the plan to address questions of simplicity by undermining external analysis. This is because the customer, although affected with economic factors or new competitor offerings, cannot easily shift brands due to experiential and emotional attachment with the current brand. The firm can focus the bulk of the plan towards product improvement which is more controllable and measurable than external improvements which are hardly possible.
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