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7119 MA (Marketing) Reply to Leslie

Memo to Leslie de Chernatonay 12/02/99

MASTERS IN MARKETING

Thanks for your memo of 10 May, and your support for the project.

To deal with the last item first, Alan Lawton has suggested that - since, due to our workloads, we otherwise  rarely meet  - he will put this on the agenda for the Centre meeting the week after next (Thursday 27 May), when we should all be together. So, let's aim to discuss it in detail then.

Taking your other points:

Foundation Course - there is no need for B800, or equivalent, since the entry point to the second stage of the Masters in Marketing (exactly as with our own Diploma for the MBA) would be the CIM Postgraduate Diploma. The price students would pay would be that they could not transfer to the MBA programme - if they want to do that they will have to go through B800 as at present. Indeed, the most distinctive element of the Marketing Masters would be the separate entry point (the CIM PGDip).

B820 - the 'foundation' versioning I was talking about was this course, since I was worried that it might make special demands on students not coming through our own route. In fact, having looked at B820 in some detail (which is why I took some time to reply to your memo - my apologies for that), is that the standard B820 would meet CIM students needs very well. I therefore agree with you that it should not need versioning. Indeed, as it is perhaps our most elaborate course, it makes sense if we do not version it - since we can take the updates (with one due very soon) as they come. On the other hand, we should look at the TMAs and exams, and certainly set up separate tutor groups (if there are enough marketing students), so it might still need a different identification number (BM820?).

B825 - the first major change from the MBA pattern, agreed by CIM, would be that B825 would be compulsory. This, by itself, makes the Marketing masters path distinctive.

Marketing Electives - thereafter, CIM suggest that one elective be restricted to a choice from B885, B890 or B826.

General Electives - their final choice would, however, be made from the whole range of MBA electives.

MBA BOARD

The position has been slightly complicated by the wish of the MBA Board (supported by the Dean) to have some elements specific to the Marketing Masters. One of these was B820, though - as discussed above - this now seems to be unnecessary. The other potential elements were:

B825 - it was suggested that two (units) of the electives already planned for within this course were chosen to be compulsory, and the rest transferred to B885. To differentiate this as much as possible (and justify a new identification number), however, I would now suggest that we swop the two units of sociology (suitable updated) from B885 - to complement the economics units which have already been transferred to B825. This would make BM825? quite distinct from the MBA course. The resource implications of this, though, would still be relatively low, since the limited update would be sourced externally.

B885 - this would leave all the B825 electives (probably increased in number) to form the centre of a new course; which just uses the four units of planning material from B885. Thus, for the central part of this new course, CIM students might be free to choose six electives from a wide range of topics. This course would not appear in the MBA. The resource implications would be higher than for B825 but (due to the outside resourcing) would not be impossible.

B890 - this would be suitable as is, but the resource implications would be that it would need to be updated by a team from outside the marketing group. In view of the fact that it is being dropped by the MBA, it would, again, be specific to the marketing stream.

B826 - in view of the in-built flexibility of this course, it too could be much as at present; though, again, separate tutor groups (and guidelines) might be needed (necessitating a new identification number).

NON-ELECTIVE MODEL

The other alternative, suggested in your memo, is that we should set only compulsory courses; B820, B825, B885, B826. This is a possibility, and I think CIM might accept this model. It has its advantages, not least in terms of reduced costs. On the other hand, it means that we have no escape routes if any part of this chain goes wrong! Again, we should talk about this at the Centre meeting.

Where new material is needed, all of these should follow the low-resource model. Since this is essentially a captive audience, there probably is no need for lavish audio-visual elements - or extended residential schools.

In reply to the question as to marketing rights, there would be no restrictions - but I imagine that (in the short-term at least) almost all students would be recruited via CIM; who are very enthusiastic about the idea. The most obvious extra requirement is that our own Diplomates should be able to follw this track if they want to. I am, initially, avoiding this issue; since I do not want to complicate matters (in the same way production of CIM Certificate/Diploma courses, which would be much more resource intensive, has been put on the back burner). In any case, it seems unlikely that many of our Diplomates would choose this route instead of the (more valuable) MBA one.

BOARDS/TEAMS

It is suggested that, in view of the fact that the material will so closely parallel that of the MBA, the MBA Board supervises the programme. This would enable us both to reduce administrative costs (with just a new programme manager but not an additional director) as well as building in the best academic expertise.

In terms of course teams, it would seem sensible for the existing MBA teams to run with the minor changes. The only exception is the B885 derivative, which I would suggest does have a separate team in theory, but with the same membership as B825 in practice - and we, as a marketing group, continue to work together on all our various projects.

In the short term the very clear intent is - as you say - to emphasise low resourcing (with the largest cohort of new students). Assuming the numbers appear, we could then develop the material as rolling remakes.

Plenty there for us to discuss at the Centre meeting - see you then.

David Mercer

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