Marketing Principles Assignment 1 Swinburne University

MKT10008 - Marketing Principles
Assessment Task 1 - Marketing Report – 30% (Individual)
Learning Outcomes:
This assessment reflects Unit Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4. Students who successfully complete this
task should be able to:
Examine the core marketing terms, evolution of the marketing concept and determine the need
for ethical marketing practices.
Determine the importance of planning as part of the marketing process.
Analyse the environmental factors that impact an organisation.
Analyse the key principles and practices relating to market research

Assessment Task Overview:
You are asked to conduct an Industry Analysis for a specific industry in Australia. Please select one
industry from the four industries listed below:
Snack Food Manufacturing
Sunscreen and other Skincare Products Manufacturing
Supermarkets
Beer Manufacturing
There is also a report template available on BlackBoard which you must use when writing the report.
The report will be marked on BlackBoard (via Turnitin).
It is highly recommended that you make yourself familiar with both the report requirements and
the marking guide (below).
Due:
Week 6 (The report is due on Friday 28th July; see the Unit Outline)
Worth:
30% Total
Word length: 1400 words (excluding Table of Contents, Reference List and any Appendicies); for
suggested word lengths of each section, see the template on BlackBoard
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Details of the Report (see also the Marking Guide below):
Introduction
Explain who ‘authorised’ (requested) the report, its purpose and the areas to be examined, and the
general methodology that will be used (eg. sources).
Suggested words: 100

Part A: Industry Analysis
First, give a brief introduction as to what will be covered in this section. Then you will need to research
and evaluate the relevant industry. Then do the following sections in detail:
•

Brief Introduction to Industry Analysis (see above)
Suggested words: 50

•

Market Definition –Define and describe the market. Your definition should come from the
relevant IBIS report.
Suggested words: 80

•

Market Background and History- Provide an overview of the main factors that have impacted
upon this industry. Include a history of the industry in Australia and important events that have
shaped the industry. Extensive research from a range of sources is required.
Suggested words: 280

•

Market Size – describe the size of the industry (in terms of sales/ revenue) for the most recent
year available. This information is available from the relevant IBIS report. Attach a table or graph
as part of your answer.
Suggested words: 80 plus table or chart

•

Market Growth – describe the sales/revenue trend in the market for the past 5-10 years, and
also include the projected growth for the future. Your discussion should include: a written
discussion of the trend (eg. reasons for this growth / decline, detailed explanation); a table with at
least five years of data; and a graph which you have prepared. Marks are awarded for the correct
figures provided, your interpretation of the trend, and the table and graph. Base information can
be obtained from the relevant IBIS report.
Suggested words: 120 plus table and graph

•

Key Competitors – List and describe any two key competitors operating within the market. Your
discussion needs to include at least a two paragraph discussion for each competitor. Identify the
competitors, their product offering and a general description of their operations. It is not sufficient
to directly copy the information from IBIS. You are expected to synthesise the information from
several sources and put in your own words.
Suggested words: 300

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Part B: Environmental Analysis
Critically evaluate and discuss one (1) environmental factor that has impacted this industry from 1 st
January 2015 to date. Describe an environmental factor that is currently affecting your Australian industry
or companies in this industry or likely to affect it in the near future.
You will need to provide evidence (in the Appendix/ces) that support your discussion. This evidence
will be a download of one (or more) actual newspaper or journal articles that can be sourced from
one of the databases available through the Swinburne library. Examples of these datadases include ANZ
Reference Centre (within Ebscohost), Factiva, Proquest, Business Source Complete, etc. Your teacher
will run through access details to these databases within a Lab session. Please remember to correctly
acknowledge sources of information for each article included.
The environmental factor can be either a micro and macro environmental factor.
Suggested words: 270

Conclusion
Summarise all the key findings from the report. Note that NO ‘recommendations’ (suggestions for action
by those in the industry or a particular company) are to be given, only a conclusion.
Suggested words: 120

GENERAL NOTES:
Research:
To complete this task successfully, students need to engage in extensive research.
Sources such as IBIS reports, newspaper/journal databases, websites, industry magazines and
newspaper and journal articles will be relevant to gather information.
List of References:
You must provide a ‘Reference List’ (but not a bibliography, which is similar), and this must be done
according to the Harvard Style Guides. See Swinburne Library’s site.
You MUST have a minimum of five references which include databases and newspapers. If you have not
referenced your information correctly, your overall grade will be affected for this assessment.
In-text referencing:
All references referred to in the List of References, as well as charts, diagrams, photos, etc, must have an
‘in-text reference’. These must be in the relevant place (next to the information item) in the report body.
Word Length: Around 1400 words (excluding Table of Contents, Reference List and any Appendicx/ies);
for suggested word lengths of each section, see the guide above.
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Format:
This document MUST follow the structure of a formal report. Students have been provided with a Report
Template which is available on BlackBoard and this shows how to correctly lay out the report.
(You can also refer the Communications Skills Handbook by Summers and Smith for additional

information on how to correctly write a Business Report).
Grammar and spelling:
It is expected that the report will be prepared and presented in a professional manner. Grammar and
spelling will be assessed in this report.
Some major areas of interest when marking are whether:
• the prose is broken down into enough paragraph breaks (typical paragraphs usually being
between four and 10 lines)
• consistent font sizes and types have been used throughout and
• only the third person is used (ie. no 1st or 2nd person, such as I, we, our, you, your).
Submission:
A copy of the report MUST be uploaded on “Blackboard” by the due date & time specified by the
convenor. If this Turnitin copy (from Blackboard) is not uploaded by the due date a 10% penalty per day
may be applicable.

Assessment Task 1 - Marketing Report Marking Guide
(Note: this will actually be marked on BlackBoard)
Criteria

Introduction

Industry
analysis:
Brief
Introduction

Weight

2.5

15 –

broken
down to:
Brief Intro: -

Unsatisf’y /
Not Done
(0% of Mark)

Poor (25%
of Mark)

Very brief or
section not
included.

Some
attempt at
a summary
of the
report’s
major
purpose
and key
content of
the report.

Fair /
Good
(50% of
Mark)

A good
summary
of the
report’s
major
purpose
and key
content
within the
report

A minimal
attempt.
Extremely
limited
discussion of

Industry
discussion
highlighted
a few
points in

Industry
discussio
n included
history
and

©Copyright: 2016 Swinburne University of Technology

Very Good
(75% of
Mark)

Excellent
(100% of
Mark)

A very
good
summary of
the report’s
major
purpose,
the benefits
and
analytical
processes
and the
findings.
Industry
discussion
included
history,
many

Concise
and
succinctly

provides
the main
points to be
covered in
the report.

Industry
and market
are very
clearly
explained.

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0
Market
Definition
Market
background

Market
Defin’n 1.5
Backgr’d /

History 4

Market size
Mkt Size 2
Market
growth
Key
Competitors

Environm’tal
factor

Mkt Growth
3

the market
background,
size and
growth.
Superficial
analysis of
competitors.
Little sign of
analysis
Section not
included.

the Industry
time line.
Basic

discussion
of the
market
background
, market
size,
growth and
Major
competitors
.
Information
supported
by
information
sources

Discussion
was only
partly
descriptive
and
theoretical.
Minimal
research has
been
undertaken.
Section not
included.
Newspaper/
Journal

articles not
included in
the
Appendices

Demonstrat
es a fair
understandi
ng of how
an
environmen
tal factor
impacted
the
industry.
Information
supported
by
reasonable
sources
Some
Newspaper
/ Journal
articles
included in
the
Appendices

Key
Compet’s

4.5

5 – broken
down to:
Environ’al
Factor
Discussion
4
Relevant
Article/s
Attached
1

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several
important
points in
the
Industry
time line.
Accurate
figures &
descript’n
included
for market
size and
growth. A
clear
discuss’n

about
compet’rs
provided.
Inform’n
supported
by good
quality
referen’s
A good
attempt at
discuss’n
and
evaluating
one
environ’l
factor
influen’ing
industry.
Demonstr
ates good
u’standing
of how
the
factors
impacted
the
industry.
Informat’n
supported
by good

sources
Some
Newspap
er/Journal

important
points in
the Industry
time line
were
described
Accurate
description
and
analysis
provided
for market
size and
growth. A
very good
analysis of
the Major
competitors
.
Information
supported
by good
sources
A very
good

attempt at
discussion
and
evaluating
one
environmen
tal factor
influencing
the
industry.
Demonstrat
es a very
good
understandi
ng of how
the factor
impacted
the
industry.
Information
supported
by good
sources
Newspaper

Excellent
discussion
of the major
events that
shaped the

industry
and its
evolution.
Market
size/growth
and key
competitors
very well
described.
Well
researched
& supported with intext refer’s.
Excellent
evaluation
of industry
is provided.
Discussion
demonstrat
es in-depth
knowledge,
study,
exploration
and
synthesis of
information
for the
factor. Well
researched
and
supported.

Cited
evidence.
Newspaper
/ Journal
articles
included in
the
Appendices

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Conclusion

Research &
Referencing,
Grammar,
Report layout

2.5

5

Introduces

new
information.
Weak
conclusion.
Section not
included.

A poor-fair
attempt to
summarise
the main
points/findi
ngs of the
report.

V. insufficient
references
used and/or
sources not
reference
adequately.
Sources are
not credible.
Over use of
quotes.
Incorrect
referencing
style.
Casual/
informal/pers

onal
language
used. Report
written in the
first person.
Reference
list not
included
Over the
word limit
Numerous
grammatical
and spelling
errors

Insufficient
references
used (3-4)
acad’c/ind’y
sources).
Some
attempt to
paraphrase
and use intext
referencing
.
Reference
List
included
many

inaccurac’s.
Does not
follow the
Harvard
approach.
Several
spelling/
grammatic’l
errors. Not
Within word
limit

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articles
included
in the
Appendic
es
A good
attempt to
summaris
e the
main
points/find
ings of
the report.
Satisfacto
ry
finishing

argument
to the
report
Sufficient
reference
s used (35)
academic/
industry
sources).
Mostly
well
paraphras
ed and
citied.
Referenc
e list
included
with an
attempt
evident to
follow the
Harvard
Style
Guide. A
few
inaccuraci
es in the
Referenc
e List.
Good

sentence
structure

/Journal
articles
included in
the
Appendices
A very
good
attempt to
summarise
the main
points/findi
ngs of the
report. A
good
finishing
argument
to the
report.

Section
summarise
s the main
points/findi
ngs
effectively.
Does not
introduce

new
information.
Strong
finish to the
document.

Sufficient
references
used (3-5)
academic/i
ndustry
sources).
Well
paraphrase
d and
citied.
Good
referencing
style
throughout
the report.
Reference
List
included
with most
References
correctly
listed
according
to the

Harvard
Style G’de.
Vocab’y. &
sentence
construct’n
nearing a

Excellent
range of
sources
used both
industry
and theory
(more than
5). Sources
consistently
referenced
to support
discussion.
Reference
list correctly
presented
of all the
sources.
Excellent
reference
style
throughout
the report
using the

Harvard
approach.
Vocabulary
and
sentence
construct’n
at a

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with only
a few
spelling/
grammar
errors.
Within
word limit.

TOTAL

profession’l
document
standard.

Grammar &
spelling a v.
good
standard.

profession’l
document
standard.

30

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