Assignment: B2B and Supply Chain

Word limit: 3,500 Module: Business to Business Marketing and Supply Chain Management Assignment Question In the mid-1990s, relationship marketing was announced as a new marketing paradigm. Therefore, it has been argued that there is a shift in contemporary marketing practices from a transactional, short term focus towards the necessity of creating, maintaining and establishing long term relationships with customers. Drawing upon (a) relevant academic theories and (b) by using examples from an organisation of your choice, critically discuss why relationship marketing theories and strategies become so popular in business to business markets and inter-organizational contexts over the last twenty-five years. Approaching the question Students are reminded that whilst some questions may very evidently refer to a particular unit they are all designed to span issues across the entire module. A full answer to the question will require reflection on the issues that you have encountered throughout the module. It is important to bear in mind that the content of your answer will depend on the argument that you wish to put forward in answer to the question and not solely on the concepts that the question explicitly identifies. Further Guidance for Students: 1. You will be expected to relate marketing and supply chain management theory from the module to the assignment topic and make appropriate recommendations, thus showing an understanding of B2B marketing principles and practice. 2. You are expected to demonstrate an understanding of why relationship marketing approaches become so important for Business to Business Marketing. You have to demonstrate evidence of reading and understanding the relevance of the relationship marketing principles for business to business marketing and to relate these views to an example of an organization with which you are familiar. In terms of word limitations 50% of your assignment can a) draw upon relevant academic theories and you can use 50% so as to present and elaborate on an example b) from an organization of your choice. 3. Please remember that your assignment should NOT be structured around your own opinions and experiences from business to business marketing practices but you should use relevant academic theories which assist you to critically discuss the assignment question above. 4. Although it makes sense to look for concepts and authors discussed in your core module text that you can apply to the assignment, you will be expected to draw upon library readings (e.g. academic and trade journals) beyond your main textbook) to support your answer. Keep in mind that one of the key criteria for assessing this piece of work is evidence of reading, understanding and discussing relevant academic theories. 5. This means that if you make an argument or a point about something related to B2B practice, it should be backed up with a citation from a good reference that shows how prior research suggests that your point is valid one. 6. Students who do this intelligently, and from a broad a range of (ideally academic) sources as possible, will have the opportunity to gain a high mark. 7. In the Introduction, you should set out your main themes and intentions: describe the issue you are addressing, identify its main components, and indicate what you are going to do in the body of your essay. 8. Break down your arguments into smaller parts - use this as a basis for the main Discussion part of your essay that will then be divided up into several sections or paragraphs (you may want to have a sub-heading title for each section of the question). 9. Summarise your arguments briefly in a Conclusion. What is the main significance and implications of what you have been saying? 10. ALL material that you use should be referenced appropriately.