This advanced level paper uses a student-centered seminar format to explore developments in marketing strategy. Students study both current and classic developments in marketing literature and thought. Selecting a few topics for in-depth study allows students to critically evaluate and extend ideas from the literature and to draw implications for the practice of marketing strategy. While earlier marketing strategy courses emphasise what marketing strategy entails and how to make strategy decisions, this course focuses on why we might make such decisions and the actions that subsequently emerge. Students are encouraged to think about the tradeoffs that must be managed to ensure coherent external and internal fit, and organisational performance.

Level 5 study emphasises critical thinking regarding the theories and models of the domain and field. Students are required to integrate their knowledge from previous study and experience, and to be more self-directed in their learning than in undergraduate level courses.

This paper is largely taught through two hour seminars, twice per week. Some of the seminars are organised and led by the lecturer, and a significant proportion are to be led by students. Student-led seminars form a major component of the course assessment, and each student is expected to participate in leading several seminars during the trimester.

Together we will explore organisationally-relevant topics and emerging issues using the latest theoretical findings from top-journal academic articles, white papers, and practitioner publications. The assigned topics cover contemporary, emergent, and traditional research areas. Each of the topics will be examined through three overarching themes: Company (firm and its resources), Competitive field dynamics, and the Consumer domain.

The course is internally assessed. You will be evaluated on your understanding of the topics, your ability to critically evaluate scholarly work, and to contribute original ideas via written assignments, leading seminars, and valued participation in discussion. The challenge is to integrate your ideas with existing research to summarise knowledge and identify emerging issues, trends, and gaps. The final assessment also requires you to apply theory and discuss implications.

To participate fully in this course a student is expected to do a significant amount of reading and self-directed preparation before each class.

This is an internally assessed paper. There are four major components to the assessment, for which a combination of individual and group work is required to succeed in the paper.

• The Reading Evaluations and Insight Exercises are individual assignments.
• The Student-led Seminars, and CMO Video Interview Presentation are group assignments.

• In addition, a sizable proportion of the final grade will be awarded for your individual participation in activities, debates, and discussions during seminars and lectures.

Required readings are available via Waikato Reading Lists.

Specific online platforms i.e. Moodle and GoogleDocs/Classroom will be used at times in MRKTG551. Student-led seminars may like to exercise the option of conducting the seminar on a suitable platform (with the approval of the lecturer).

This is a 30 point paper with a modicum of reading, and some relatively demanding assignments. As a result the expectant workload is not light. Points bear a direct relationship to workload; one point equates to approximately 10 hours total work; so a student can be expected to spend about 300 hours in total during a trimester on a 30-point paper.