The purpose of this reflective work is to focus on the academic knowledge accumulated throughout the strategic marketing module and the professional benefits received while critically analysing Amazon’s case towards marketing strategies. The University of South Wales’s Strategic marketing module aims to equip participants with skills and ability to evaluate the key concepts associated with strategic marketing in the overall business strategy and to critically evaluate the difference between a good practice of strategic marketing and a short professional practice.
While marketing was a new but interesting field to me, I ensured to apply a deep learning approach in order to capture the most essentials. Interestingly, my first course assignment attempts to evaluate Amazon’s digital marketing strategy, which pertains with the recent development that led to a renewed interest in digital and rendered marketing more challenging. Amazon was used in my first assignment to primarily help understand how rewarding internet marketing is, and then appreciated customer-centric marketing strategies, a reflection that is presented in this work.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Challenges faced working on my first assignment
- Issues and reasons behind facing such problems
- Overcoming challenges
- Important lesson learnt as an MBA Student
- My Next Marketing Steps
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
The objective of this reflective portfolio is to analyze the academic knowledge gained from a strategic marketing module and its professional application, using Amazon as a case study. The reflection focuses on the challenges faced during the first assignment and the lessons learned about strategic marketing and its integration into overall business strategy.
- Strategic Marketing and its application in business strategy
- Customer-centric marketing strategies and their impact on business success
- Overcoming challenges in academic research and applying learned skills.
- The importance of cross-functional collaboration in effective marketing
- The role of technology in modern marketing strategies
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the Strategic Marketing module at the University of South Wales and the author's aim to analyze Amazon's digital marketing strategy within the context of the course. It highlights the author's initial perspective on marketing and the module's focus on integrating strategic marketing into the overall business strategy. The chapter sets the stage for the reflection on the challenges encountered and the lessons learned throughout the assignment.
Challenges faced working on my first assignment: This chapter details the initial difficulties the author faced while working on their first assignment. These included time constraints impacting thorough reading, difficulty relating course materials to real-world experience and previous understanding of marketing, and insufficient support regarding the Amazon case study which extended beyond the course materials. The author's initial struggle to find relevancy and the limitations of resources are central themes.
Issues and reasons behind facing such problems: This section explores the root causes of the challenges faced. The primary reasons were identified as the author's pre-existing perceptions of marketing (seeing it as a solely departmental function focused on sales) and high initial expectations of the course content. This lack of a holistic view of marketing hindered effective engagement with the assignment.
Overcoming challenges: This chapter describes how the author overcame the initial challenges. The formation of effective peer groups provided valuable collaboration and diverse perspectives. Prioritization and effective time management, along with the application of previously learned research skills, were also crucial factors in completing the assignment successfully. This section focuses on the importance of teamwork and effective research methodologies.
Important lesson learnt as an MBA Student: This chapter summarizes the key takeaway from the assignment: a shift in understanding marketing from a departmental function focused on sales to a cross-functional activity integrated with the overall business strategy. It emphasizes customer-centricity, cross-departmental collaboration (marketing, finance, production, R&D, and HR), and the role of technology in modern marketing. The Amazon case study illustrated the evolution of marketing in the digital age and the use of data for customer understanding and targeted strategies.
Keywords
Strategic Marketing, Customer-centric strategies, Customer acquisition and retention, Digital marketing, Amazon, Cross-functional collaboration, Technology, Critical reflection, MBA, Case study.
MBA Reflective Portfolio: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main focus of this reflective portfolio?
This portfolio analyzes the academic knowledge gained from a strategic marketing module and its professional application, using Amazon as a case study. It focuses on the challenges faced during the first assignment and the lessons learned about strategic marketing and its integration into overall business strategy.
What are the key themes explored in this portfolio?
Key themes include strategic marketing and its application in business strategy; customer-centric marketing strategies and their impact on business success; overcoming challenges in academic research and applying learned skills; the importance of cross-functional collaboration in effective marketing; and the role of technology in modern marketing strategies.
What challenges were faced during the first assignment?
Initial challenges included time constraints affecting thorough reading, difficulty relating course materials to real-world experience and pre-existing understanding of marketing, and insufficient support regarding the Amazon case study. The author struggled to find relevancy and faced limitations in available resources.
What were the root causes of these challenges?
The root causes stemmed from the author's pre-existing perceptions of marketing (viewing it solely as a departmental sales function) and high initial expectations of the course content. This lack of a holistic view of marketing hindered effective engagement with the assignment.
How were these challenges overcome?
Challenges were overcome through effective peer group collaboration, improved time management and prioritization, and the application of previously learned research skills. Teamwork and effective research methodologies proved crucial.
What is the most important lesson learned?
The most significant lesson learned was a shift in understanding marketing from a departmental sales function to a cross-functional activity integrated with overall business strategy. This includes customer-centricity, cross-departmental collaboration (marketing, finance, production, R&D, and HR), and the role of technology in modern marketing.
What is the structure of the portfolio?
The portfolio includes an introduction, a detailed account of challenges faced, an analysis of the reasons behind those challenges, a description of how those challenges were overcome, a summary of key lessons learned, and a conclusion. It also includes a table of contents and keywords.
What role did the Amazon case study play?
The Amazon case study served as a practical application of the strategic marketing module's concepts. It helped illustrate the evolution of marketing in the digital age and the use of data for customer understanding and targeted strategies.
What keywords best describe this portfolio?
Keywords include: Strategic Marketing, Customer-centric strategies, Customer acquisition and retention, Digital marketing, Amazon, Cross-functional collaboration, Technology, Critical reflection, MBA, Case study.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Sixbert Sangwa (Author), 2017, Strategic Marketing. A Learner's Reflection Portfolio, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1012593
