Strategic Marketing Rework

Please Read below instructions and ATTACHMETNS 

With reference to relevant theory from the lectures, workshops and associated readings for this course, including the journal articles you have been specifically asked to read for this task, complete ALL of the following tasks.

i)                    Apply the Hierarchy of Needs model (Maslow, 1954) to critically reflect upon the needs that motivated you to pursue an MBA at AFG/University of Aberdeen, and in what ways these are similar or different to the needs identified by Dailey, Anderson, Ingenito, Duffy,  Krimm, and Thomson (2006; see essential reading list below for a link to this paper).

ii)                   Apply the Theory of Consumption Values (Sheth et al., 1991) to critically reflect upon the types of value that you are seeking to gain from pursuing your MBA course at AFG/University of Aberdeen, and whether you think these are similar or different to other students on your course.

iii)                 What are the main sources of direct, indirect and replacement competition for AFG/University of Aberdeen when seeking to attract MBA students in Qatar? (e.g. you might think about which other institutions you considered when choosing your MBA course, and whether there were other ways you could have fulfilled the needs and types of value you identified in parts i) and ii) of this task)

iv)                 Critically consider how AFG/University of Aberdeen is positioned in comparison to the competitors you have identified by addressing the following questions/tasks:

a.       To what extent, and in what way is AFG/Aberdeen differentiated from its main competitors in the MBA market in Qatar? (e.g. you might think about the ways, if any, that AFG/University of Aberdeen offer benefits and value to MBA students that its competitors do not).

b.       Identify TWO criteria that were important to you when you chose between the option you took (i.e. to pursue an MBA at AFG/University of Aberdeen) and the alternative competitor options you have identified above. Use these two criteria to construct the axes for a perceptual map. Plot all these options (i.e. MBA at AFG/University of Aberdeen and all competitor options) on this perceptual map to show how you think about them in relation to each other.

v)                   Apply either the Anatomy of the Brand model (Jobber, 2001) OR the Brand Prism model (Kapferer, 1994) to identify and explain the image that you currently hold of the AFG/Brand, and then address the following questions:

a.       Does the brand image you have described give AFG/University of Aberdeen a distinct, meaningful and sustainable competitive advantage over its main competitors in the MBA market? Justify your answer.

b.       In what ways would you recommend AFG/University could better formulate and communicate its brand identity to enhance its brand positioning compared to its main competitors? In answering this question, you must make reference to the model you used to critically reflect on your current image of the brand (i.e. Anatomy of the Brand or Brand Prism).

Essay Specifications: 

§  You will be assessed on theoretical knowledge and understanding, application of theory to/in the specified context, critical thinking and argument, independent reading, structure, presentation and clarity of communication.  

§  Font: Calibri 11 point 

§  Spacing: Single  

§  Length: 1500 words (+/- 10%) Not including references

§  Text: Justified RHS and LHS 

§  Accurately cite all sources used (use Harvard Referencing) 

IMPORTANT NOTE:

·       Each task is worth an equal amount (20%) of the overall grade.

·       You may choose how you use your allocated word count of 1500 words across the 5 tasks, but it may be useful to aim to write a similar amount (i.e. 300 words) for each task.