BUSINESS

ASSIGNMENT Front Sheet

To be completed by student
Date Submitted: ..........................
Name ....................................................………….
(print) Student Signature :

Certification: I certify that the whole of this work is the

result of my individual effort and that all quotations
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Programme : Masters in Business Administration MBA Level : 1

Academic Year : 2010/11 Semester : 1
Module title : Marketing Strategy Assignment no. : 1
Module code: BUS 733 Word guide: 2000
Percentage Weighting of this assignment for the module: 40%
Issue date : w/c 5th October 2010 Return date : w/c 15th November 2010
Lecturer : B Jones Second marker :

Notes for students :

1. Hard copy of assignment should be stapled in the top left corner and submitted to the Undergraduate School.
2. Electronic copy of assignment should be submitted through the Turnitin software.
3 Students should ensure that they comply with the Institute’s Plagiarism policy.
4 10% of marks are awarded for satisfactory use of language and/or good presentation.
5 5% of marks are awarded for satisfactory referencing and/or presentation of a bibliography where either is required.
Students should make correct use of the Harvard referencing method. Guidelines for the Harvard method are included in
Programme handbooks and are also available from the Business School Office.

Special instructions (if any) :

Assignment should be stapled in the top left corner.
No plastic cover unless module tutor indicates otherwise.

Comments
 Glyndwr School of Business Feedback on Assignment

Student Number/
Academic Year: 2010/11
Name

Programme Title MBA Level Stage 2

Module Code BUS 733 Module Title Marketing Strategy

Assignment Indicative
1
Title/Number: Mark / Grade:

Would students please note that achievement of the learning outcomes for this assessment is
demonstrated against the assessment criteria shown below (which are not necessarily
weighted equally). Your assignment is marked as a whole and your grade is more than a
summation of your performance as rated below. All marks/grades remain indicative until they
have been considered and confirmed by the Assessment Board

Under 70
Assessment Criteria 40%
40-49% 50-59% 60-69%
%+

1 a)Financial statements

b)Actions to be taken with justification

c)Evaluation of new pricing policy

2 Evaluation of portfolio model plus strategic implications

3 Satisfactory use of language and appropriate referencing

Ability to construct coherent arguments fully supported with

5
referencing throughout

Name of Tutor B Jones Date

Strengths of this assignment are:

Suggestions to improve this assignment are:

 Business

Stage 1 M.B.A : Module: Marketing Strategy

Assignment 1

There are two questions to this assignment

Question 1 : Case Study: The Spean Bridge Bus Company

The Spean Bridge Bus Company operates a fleet of six buses on three different
routes in and around Fort William, Scotland. There are two buses assigned to each
route and each bus completes five return journeys per day 52 weeks a year. There is
no service on a Sunday. The rural bus service is essential to many of the small
communities in and around the area.

The company is the process of planning its routes, prices and schedules for the
coming year. The traffic office has provided the following data;

Route A B C

Return journey distance (km) 42 36 44

Passenger per return journey

Adults 13 9 15
Children 5 8 5

Return journey fares

Adult £3.10 £6.00 £4.50
Children £1.40 £3.00 £2.25

The following data has been provided by finance;

Fuel £0.82 per km

Wages £360 per week

Bus fixed operating costs £2000 per year

General overheads £180,000 per year

Question 1

a) Prepare a statement for management showing;

- the planned contribution for each route per day
- the planned contribution for each route per year
- the planned total contribution for the company
- the planned profit for the company
15 marks
b) Based on your results discuss the appropriate action the company
should take
15 marks
c) The company is considering introducing a new pricing policy, a day
rider ticket which will allow unlimited travel for a day on any of its
routes. The suggested price is £5 for adults and £2.25 for children. It
is hoped that this new ticket will increase demand for the service.

Critically evaluate this new pricing policy from both a financial and a
marketing perspective

20 marks

Total 50 marks

Question 2

Review the models available to organisations for reviewing their product

portfolios. Critically evaluate ONE models’ contribution for enabling
companies to develop a balanced portfolio. What are the strategic implications
of the different boxes in the various matrices?

Total 50 marks

Marking Guidelines

Answer both questions.

Each question carries equal marks. Each answer to be approximately 1000 words
Use an informal report format

Q1a can be produced in a table format

Q1b and c need to provide action points which are then justified using the data
provided
Q2 requires an overview of the portfolio models available. The portfolio model
chosen to be drawn and the application of the model explained. Strategic
implications to be discussed while criticisms of the model would help in
achieving higher marks