Higher National Diploma Marketing Process & Planning Report: M&S

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Marks & Spencer's marketing strategies, focusing on the marketing concept, functions, and mix within the 21st-century context. It details the role of the marketing function within M&S, examining its interaction with other departments like Human Resources, Finance, and IT. The report explores the extended marketing mix (Product, Place, Price, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Evidence) and evaluates its contribution to M&S's business objectives, including branding, understanding consumer behavior, and targeting the market. Furthermore, it offers recommendations and concludes with a summary of findings, drawing on various academic sources to support its arguments. This report is a valuable resource for students studying business management and marketing, offering insights into real-world applications of marketing principles within a leading UK retailer.

Higher National Diploma in Business
Management
Unit 2 Marketing Process & Planning
The Marketing Concept,
Functions and Mix (Part 1)
Marketing Planning (Part 2)
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Table of Content
Part 1: Briefing Paper
1.0 Introduction p
2.0 An explanation of the concept/definition of marketing in the 21st century
p
3.0 Description of the role of marketing function with examples from the
chosen organisation p
4.0 An analysis of how the marketing function works and interacts with other
departments p
5.0 An explanation of the extended marketing mix and examples from selected
supermarket p
2.0 An evaluation of how the marketing mix adopted by the selected
business (or business unit) contributes to the success of the organisation in
meeting their overall business objectives p
3.0 Recommendations p
9.0 Conclusions p
References p
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1.0 Introduction
Marketing is the most essential operation of business that enables
management in accomplishing their objectives. It generally includes preparation of
market plan and numerous marketing strategies that are required for growth and
survival of business (Beger, 2018). The report will focused on overall market
research of Marks & Spencer. There are many functions and roles are operated by
Marks & Spencer. These operations enhances the efficiency of organisation. Further,
the report will compare various ways in which business uses components of
marketing mix in order to attain overall business goals. Afterwards, it will develop a
marketing and media plan that will support the company in all their marketing
campaigns.
2.0 An explanation of the concept/definition of marketing in
the 21st century
Marketing is identified with the numerous techniques and tools of advertising
and selling or practices and theories that are all often invisible to consumer.
Marketing is found everywhere, formally or informally, people and organisations who
engaged in vast number of operations that are marketing. Financial success also
depends upon marketing. It is tricky and making the right decision is not always
easy. Skilful marketing is a never ending pursuit.
Marketing is art of developing, advertising and distributing goods and services
to customers as well as organisations. However, marketing is not just limited to
products and services it is extended to everything from places to ideas and in
between. This brings forth many challenges within that seniors have to take strategic
decisions (Rodriguez, 2020). Solutions to face these challenges depends on the
consumer market decision in regards to commodity, packaging and channels of
distribution.
Digital revolution and 21st century have made businesses fine tune the way in
which they conduct their business operations. One trend that has been observed is
requirement of stream lining process and systems with focusing on reduction of cost
through process of outsourcing. Another change is businesses are encouraging the
entrepreneur style of workplace environment with approach of both global and local
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as well. At the same time, marketers of businesses are looking forward to building
long term relations with all potential consumers. This coordination establishes a
platform that will understand needs and wants of customers. Marketers are looking
at distribution channels as partners in businesses and not as the consumers. A
marketing network includes the organisation and its supporting stakeholders such as
suppliers, distributors, retailers and customers with whom the company has built
mutually profitable business relationships (Li, 2018). For international market,
companies needs to taken into consideration various cultural diversities as well as
international trade laws, trade agreement and regulatory requirements of each
market.
3.0 Description of the role of marketing function with
examples from the chosen organisation
Marks & Spencer is a leading organisation that operates their business
operations in United Kingdom. The success of M&S is dependent upon the
marketing functions of business. All the marketing operations are appropriately
managed by the organisation. The role of marketing that is regulated by M&S is
described below:
 Defining the brand M&S: Marks & Spencer is a top brand, it deals in various
products such as clothes, furnishing, food and wellness goods. The major role
of marketing is defined by marketing department of business. At the beginning
of organisation the operations M&S were very small but with time, area of
marketing functions of business is develop at high level and it marketing
department also has the responsibility to define and enhance growth of brand
Marks & Spencer.
 Monitoring and managing the targeted market: These duties should be
operated by marketing department of M&S. All these functions are handled by
top level of management in department of marketing properly (Gobble, 2018).
The marketing manager of M&S functions the targeted market and always
monitors the overall market physically.
 Gathering and analysing the marketing data: All the data and information
about current trends and condition of market is appropriately analysed by
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Marks & Spencer. Marketing manager leads all these activities in a very
specific manner that do not cause any mistake. By conducting market
research the business is able to collect the required information and data and
on the basis of this data all the decisions about commodities and its prices are
finalized.
 Product design and development: With planning the marketing activities,
the goods of M&S are designed on order to fulfil the requirements of
consumers. Since, M&S is the organisation that deals in various categories of
products then it become crucial to give attention regarding the each product
and their consumers demands (Smirnova, Rebiazina and Frösén, 2018). The
business success is totally depends upon the goods of business then it is
necessary top look after the betterment in designs of the product.
4.0 An analysis of how the marketing function works and
interacts with other departments
All the marketing operations are not separated from other functions of Marks
& Spencer. All other activities within M&S should be pointed towards their
consumers means they must be customer oriented. Below is the breakdown of the
ways in which marketing operations are interconnected with other organisational
functions:
 Human resources: It is the function that overlooks recruitment and selection,
training and development of workforce within the organisation. It also consists
of employees well being, motivation, health and safety and performance
management of employees according to legal aspects of organisations
regarding human resource management. Marketing manager take support
from human resource department in order to find and recruit right candidate
for marketing department. They will help marketing manager with scoping out
the job, job description, advertisement for the job vacancy and profile of the
particular role (Basit and Medase, 2019). HR will also support in assessing all
the application forms and also schedules interviews along with other
recruitment stages.
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 Finance department: Marketing department always need support from
finance department. There is an definite budget to meet the requirement for
research, promotion and distribution. Finance department has the brief of
organisation in order to ensure that all business operations must be operates
with organisational financial capabilities. They ensure all other functional units
should work within their allocated budget. Such as marketing departments
wants to make over expenditure if profitable marketing opportunities emerge
over the time period. The marketing department is likely to focus on volume of
sales and increasing market share whereas finance department might be
focused towards cash flow, paying back investment and covering the cost
incurred as quickly as possible then with setting coordination and mutual
decision finance department may allow marketing department for over
spending.
 Information technology department: To provide support regarding the use
of technology that contains websites development, digital marketing, email
marketing and on the ways through which marketers can get required data
with sites, processing of information and ways to store the data (Asseraf,
Lages and Shoham, 2018). It is vast field and marketing department
n=requires to recognize the necessity of websites, intranets and extranet.
Website or app of company is an electronic object through which consumers
get to interact with commodity and purchase the product, more essentially
consumers start building a relationship with marketing department of business
that customer relationship management.
5.0 An explanation of the extended marketing mix and
examples from selected supermarket
 Place: The Marks & Spencer make sure that the locations of their stores must
be sustainable with conserving energy with utilizing better systems in stores in
order to support their objectives of corporate social responsibility.
 Product: The business M&S has been collaborating with sustainable things
and uses sustainable material in their products and services in order to
acquire more share in the market with environmental friendly goods and
services. Such commodities are also produced with the use of sustainable
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techniques (Schneider and Clauß, 2020). Packaging of products is done using
recyclable material. This strategy has boost their customer base in market.
 Promotion: The organisation has provided their vision to customers about
their practices regarding corporate social responsibilities. Their promotional
strategy encourages more customers towards conserving natural resources.
Supply chain is also completed with the use of best exercises that can
safeguard their goals and objectives with sustainability.
 Price: The Marks & Spencer's products are not much expensive, usually they
produced and make their pricing strategy targeting each level of customers.
This approach makes it easier for more consumers to purchase M&S goods
and services.
 People: Every employee of Marks & Spencer is equipped with adequate with
CSR skills in order to fulfil the requirements to accomplish the predefined
objectives and goals of organisation (Pick, 2020). The marketing process also
seeks in order to provide support to the sustainable practices performed by
M&S. These exercises make it easier for M&S to promote the most
sustainable strategies whenever customers requires.
 Process: The distribution channel of organisation has been sustainable.
Consumers are also encouraged to recycle their goods in order to conserve
environment and natural resources.
 Physical evidence: The Marks & Spencer uses facilities that are sustainable
whenever they perform marketing practices for their goods. Employees and
other workers are encouraged to wear appropriate attires defined by
management while conducting manufacturing and other process.
2.0 An evaluation of how the marketing mix adopted by
the selected business (or business unit) contributes to the
success of the organisation in meeting their overall
business objectives
 Identifies targeted market: Business can not sell their products without
appealing to the customers most likely to purchase those goods. That group is
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known as targeted audience and marketing mix strategy is the most effective
way to reach that all important group of customers. If Marks & Spencer has
targeted their customers appropriately then they know the behaviours,
purchasing habits, requirement and preferences of their customers
(Rajagopal, 2019). This information helps in shaping the techniques and
methods that the business will use in promoting their business. Marks &
Spencer founds that digital marketing can be beneficial for them in
comparison to traditional ways of marketing.
 Branding of business: The marketing strategy of company is not just limited
to boosting the market leads and convert them into potential buyers, it also
includes the ways of expressing the culture, values and purpose of business
along with their CSR policies. The process through which Marks & Spencer
communicate their vision and mission to their targeted market is the essence
of branding. M&S uses the marketing strategy that is all about elegance,
simplicity and design of commodities. Their goods are sleek and simple that
offers multiple functionalities. It is the organisation whose always cut the
edges of technology and sustainability due to their marketing mix strategy.
 Enables understanding about consumers behaviour: Performing the
market research before finalizing a marketing mix strategy can provide
support with important data and information that Marks & Spencer can use
over refining their goods and services along with development of commodities
that will keep them up with new market trends and shifts in the preference of
their targeted customers. With evaluation of digital marketing, business can
easily access the details and information about the prospective of consumers,
it can be happen with the help of big data. Large sets of data that provide a
deep analysis to management of Marks & Spencer about consumer behaviour
that is based on components and other factors such as consumers activity on
social media platforms, their purchasing activities and way of interaction at
stores.
3.0 Recommendations
The importance of marketing is essential for businesses like Marks & Spencer
as the success of the company purely depends upon the plans and strategies that
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are formed on the basis of marketing and information collected through market
research. Marks & Spencer requires to choose appropriate marketing plan. For
increasing the sales of number of units, numerous steps are required to take by
management of M&S that will improve the overall business organisation. M&S firstly,
needs to analyse the information and areas where they are facing problems then use
analytical tools for determining the aspects of their marketing strategies. Making
adjustments is the foremost need of M&S in their plans and also eliminates
ineffective marketing techniques such as in their social media campaigns they are
facing challenges that is sites are showing traffic then they must use their alternate
strategy. This can establish their presence in market and increase their interaction
with customers on digital marketing platform. Consistency is the most important thing
in every function as everything will take time to give tangible results that's the same
case with every marketing technique. Taking the correct steps in to improve their
efficiency should prevent them from repeating the previous same mistake.
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9.0 Conclusions
With the concepts explained in above report, the conclusion can be drawn
that marketing plays an essential role in sustainable growth and development of
business. Marks & Spencer making an immense use of all tools and methods of
marketing in order to enhance the value of their goods and services that increase
their share in global market. With the helps of marketing techniques M&S can
analyse and identifies the current trends of market and needs or wants of their
potential customers, then make strategies for customization in their commodities
according to preferences and requirements of their customers. Marketing is very
crucial and useful tool for development and survival of every company.
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References
Asseraf, Y., Lages, L.F. and Shoham, A., 2018. Assessing the drivers and impact of
international marketing agility. International Marketing Review.
Basit, S.A. and Medase, K., 2019. The diversity of knowledge sources and its impact
on firm-level innovation: Evidence from Germany. European Journal of
Innovation Management.
Beger, R., 2018. Present-Day Corporate Communication. Springer Books.
Gobble, M.M., 2018. Digital strategy and digital transformation. Research-
Technology Management, 61(5), pp.66-71.
Li, S., 2018, August. Application of blockchain technology in smart city infrastructure.
In 2018 IEEE international conference on smart internet of things
(SmartIoT) (pp. 276-2766). IEEE.
Pick, M., 2020. Psychological ownership in social media influencer
marketing. European Business Review, 33(1).
Rajagopal, A., 2019. Managing startup enterprises in emerging markets: Leadership
dynamics and marketing strategies. Springer Nature.
Rodriguez, M., 2020. Brand storytelling: Put customers at the heart of your brand
story. Kogan Page Publishers.
Schneider, S. and Clauß, T., 2020. Business models for sustainability: Choices and
consequences. Organization & Environment, 33(3), pp.384-407.
Smirnova, M.M., Rebiazina, V.A. and Frösén, J., 2018. Customer orientation as a
multidimensional construct: Evidence from the Russian markets. Journal of
Business Research, 86, pp.457-467.
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Table of Content
Part 2: Marketing Plan
1.0 How the strategic marketing plan links with the overall organisational
mission, corporate strategy and objectives p
2.0 Clear and SMART marketing objectives p
3.0 Marketing research to support the new product line launch p
4.0 A situational analysis p-p
4.1 Marketing audit, making use of appropriate analytical tools including
SWOT, Pestle and 5C analysis p
4.2 A competitor analysis including the market segments p
4.3 Sub-segments p
4.4 Articulation of the new product value-proposition in the eyes of the
customer p
4.5 Development of the marketing strategies applied to the extended marketing
mix p
4.6 Setting of an overall marketing budget, including allocation of planned
spend p
4.7 Tactical actions p
4.8 Identifying appropriate control and monitoring measures to ensure
achievement of objectives including metrics to measure success such as
Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
p
5.0 A comprehensive media plan that supports the planned marketing
campaign p-p
5.1 A media budget p
5.2 Recommendations and rationale for selected and integrated multi-media
activities within the set budget that meet the marketing objectives p
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