Assessment Overview
The individual assessment builds upon the knowledge and skills gained across the module
by asking the following question:
Is marketing a positive force in contemporary society? Using examples as well as marketing
theory, describe ways in which the use of marketing toolsets helps and ways in which it
harms the world we live in. Present your own, substantiated, viewpoint.
In writing your answer, you can answer the question directly, or focus on a specific industry,
region, or a specific branch of marketing practice. You can look at only contemporary
relations, or adopt a historical outlook and examine changes in relationship between
marketers and society/customers over time.
The essay should be written in a clear academic style, be well referenced (including ample
links to journal articles and other academic sources) as well as include clear descriptions of
the examples referred to. It should integrate arguments from a number of the module’s
lectures.
Assessment Format
Font: Times New Roman, size: 12 pt, colour: black
• 1.5 line spacing
• Margins not less than 2.54 cm on left and 3 cm on the right
• All pages should be numbered
• A correctly formatted (must be Harvard style) reference list and if necessary and
relevant, any appendices
• Note: This is an individual assessment; it must be original and your own work. University
rules regarding plagiarism and late submissions will be strictly enforced. All assessments
will be cross-checked carefully on Turnitin.
Key Details
• 100% of your module grade
• 3000 words (no plus 10% word limit)
• The word count includes tables, graphs and diagrams and excludes
bibliography/references, and appendices.
• Deadline: Wednesday 20th May at 12noon
• The file should be titled ‘Student Number, MGT6149-1.’
Assessment Structure
Your answer should include:
• Title page (not forming part of the word count)
• Abstract (200 words, not forming part of the word count)
• List of contents (not forming part of the word count)
• List of tables (if any) (not part of the wordcount)
• Introduction
• The body of the essay, structured to fit your argument:
• The line of argumentation should be clear, it should consider evidence for and against
your answer, and it should lead to some answer to the assignment question.
• It should include examples (drawn from own experience or from outside, cited,
sources), described so as to be understood by the reader unfamiliar with them or
with their context
• Academic theory should be relied upon to strengthen your evidence, with care taken
to consult trustworthy sources and to integrate them to your argument
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• Conclusions: summary of the argument including answer to the assignment question,
possible ideas for further study and relevance of the answer to marketing theory and
practice.
• List of References (not forming part of the word count)
• Appendices (not forming part of the word count)
Additional Assessment Reading
Some articles to kickstart your thinking about issues relevant to the assignment. Not all of
them will be equally useful to everybody, but you might be able to find something useful here
to start your thinking/reflection process. Note that references in these articles may lead to
additional texts that you might find worthwhile to seek out.
Abela, Andrew V. (2006) “Marketing and consumerism: A response to O’Shaughnessy and
O’Shaughnessy” European Journal of Marketing 40(1/2): 5–16.
Araujo, Luis and Jaqueline Pels (2015) “Marketization and its limits” Decision 42(4): 451– 456.
Biehl-Missal, Brigitte and Michael Saren (2012) “Atmospheres of seduction: A critique of
aesthetic marketing practices” Journal of Macromarketing 32(2): 168–180.
Fitchett, James A. and Pierre MacDonagh (2000) “A citizen’s critique of relationship marketing
in risk society” Journal of Strategic Marketing 8(1): 209–222.
Grønhaug, Kjell (2002) “Is marketing knowledge useful?” European Journal of Marketing 36(3):
364–372.
Heath, Teresa Pereira and Andreas Chatzidakis (2012) “The transformative potential of
marketing from the consumers’ point of view” Journal of Consumer Behaviour 11(4): 283–
291.
Hirschman, Elizabeth C. (1983) “Aesthetics, ideologies, and the limits of the marketing
concept” Journal of Marketing 47(3): 45–55.
O’Shaughnessy, John and Nicholas Jackson O’Shaughnessy (2002) “Marketing, the consumer
society and hedonism” European Journal of Marketing 36(5-6): 524–547.
Sirgy, M. Joseph, Grace B. Yu, Dong-Jin Lee, Shuqin Wei, and Ming-Wei Huang (2012) “Does
marketing activity contribute to a society’s well-being? The role of economic efficiency”
Journal of Business Ethics 107(2): 91–102.
