HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

Academic Year 2023: July – December

Formative Assessment 1: Global Marketing in a Digital Era
(HPMK440-1)
NQF Level, Credits: 8, 24
Weighting: 20%
Assessment Type: Research assignment
Educator: Z. Mabhena
Examiner: Z. Mabhena
Due Date: 8 September 2023

Total: 100 Marks

Instructions:

• This memorandum consists of one (1) question with seven (7) sub-questions.
• It is based on Units 1 - 4 of the prescribed courseware.
• All the questions are compulsory.
• Please make sure you have read and adhered to the Harvard Method of
Referencing: A Beginner’s Guide, available in the HE Library module on
ColCampus, as well as The Beginners Guide to Plagiarism, available in the HE
Student Information module, also on ColCampus.
• The essay must be typed, using the following type settings only:
o Font: Arial
o Font Size: 12
o Line Spacing: 1.5

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 • A Copyleaks Report will be issued via ColCampus once the assignment is
submitted. Please ensure that you follow the correct steps when uploading your
assignment, to ensure that the Copyleaks Report is correctly issued. If the
incorrect document is uploaded, or if no Copyleaks Report is issued, a mark of
zero (0) will be awarded. If the Copyleaks Report indicates that a 30% similarity
rating has been exceeded, 25% of the assessment total will be deducted from
the final grade. Where a Copyleaks Cheat Detection Report is issued, your
submission will automatically be treated as if you received a similarity rating in
excess of 30% and 25% of the assessment total will be deducted from the final
grade.

The following Learning Outcomes are assessed in these questions:

Exit Level Outcomes:

• Demonstrate an ability to conduct market research, communicate effectively,
using graphical and language skills in the modes of oral and/or written
presentation.
• Apply the theoretical frameworks of operations and risk control to real life
situations; and evaluate the associated commercial realities of local, national
and global operations.
• Demonstrate an ability to identify and solve problems in the fields of
Commerce/Business Studies, using a variety of techniques, critical and creative
thinking.
• Classify, systematically examine, critically evaluate and solve problems with
recommendations that display responsible decisions using critical and creative
thinking.

Associated Outcomes:
• Methodically explore scenarios/cases to determine challenges, obstacles,
shortcomings and/or problems within business, management and marketing
contexts.
• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the complexities of global
marketing management principles.

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 • Demonstrate an understanding of digital and integrated marketing contexts,
strategy and management thereof.
• Contrast global and national marketing practices and campaigns.

Modules Outcomes / Learning Outcomes:

• Explain and use the SLEPTS factors to assess international markets.
• Discuss the effects and implications of the risks and factors impacting on world
trade.
• Assess the relevance of business models enabled by digital media.
• Review and select models that are appropriate for your business.
• Understand online customers and their buying behaviour and how they differ
from offline customers.

Project description:

‘Successful international marketing is about taking a planned approach to analysis,

strategy development and implementation’ (Doole et al., 2019: 140).

• This assessment is designed to determine your understanding of the

international landscape within which organisations function when becoming
global organisations, by applying the theory to a specific country as part of the
global market. Your thinking will evolve from seeing marketing as an isolated
process to a multi-national and global process intertwined with international
trade and country-specific qualities.
• This assessment contains one (1) question with seven (7) sub-questions. All
answers must be in essay format. Number all the sub-questions to ensure
that the essay can be easily followed.
• Read the question(s) carefully; make sure you understand it before attempting
to answer the question. The focus of this assessment is on the international
marketing analysis for your selected country. The subsequent assessment
(FA2) regarding your Global Marketing Strategy will build on your analysis in
this assignment.

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 • To complete this assessment, you must move well beyond the boundaries of
the textbook, research new materials, explore the interplay of the concepts
discussed in the text, and apply the knowledge you gained in this subject to the
given case scenario.
• All assumptions must be based on 2021 to 2023 market conditions and
information.
• Marks will only be allocated for application; therefore, refrain from copying
theory verbatim from your textbook.
• Students are expected to use the rubrics provided to guide the write-up.

Required:

Select one of the following countries that you will be exporting to:

o Republic of Côte d'Ivoire

o Republic of Italy
o Mauritius
o Nigeria
o Republic of Cyprus
o Kingdom of Sweden

Select one of the following products that will be exported to the chosen
country:

o Medical supplies
o Coffee or Tea
o Poultry, beef and pork products
o Alcoholic Wines
o Jewellery
o Nuts, fruit and grain

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Question: [100 Marks]

Ensure you do adequate research on both the product and the country before
attempting the market analysis.

Conduct a comprehensive international market analysis of your chosen country and

the product. The following guidelines should be used in writing your essay:

1. Introduction [10 Marks]

Introduce the market analysis.

Hint: The purpose of an introduction is to pre-empt the contents which will appear in the entire
write-up.

Introduction:
Task 10-8 marks 7-6 marks 5-3 marks 2-1 marks 0 marks
Introduction Excellent Very good Adequate Inadequate No
introduction. introduction. introduction. discussion. introduction or
Pre-empt all six incorrectly
sections briefly. Student gave Student was Student was Student was addressed.
a clear preview able to give a unable to give a unable to give
of the contents clear preview of clear preview of a clear preview
of the market the contents of the contents of of the contents
analysis with the market the market of the market
no sections analysis with analysis with analysis with
missing. few sections some sections most sections
No errors were missing. missing. missing.
noted. Minor errors Some errors Numerous
were noted. were noted. errors were
noted.

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 2. General information regarding the chosen country [15 Marks]

i. Member state of any union and rules of exportation by the union. (3 marks)

ii. Average life expectancy, official languages, 2022 happiness index ranking.
(3 marks)

iii. Geographic location, the capital city, the image of the flag and its meaning. (3 marks)

iv. Export destination ranking and the ports of entry and trade agreements.
(3 marks)

v. Current exchange rate against the South African Rand, Current president/ prime
minister/ king, and period of rule. (3 marks)

3. An Introduction to International Marketing: SLEPTS analysis: [18 Marks]

Conduct a detailed SLEPTS analysis for your selected country and product. Each factor
should make use of relevant examples. (6x3=18 marks)

• Socio/cultural: Language, Religion, Aesthetics, Values and Attributes, Material

culture.
• Legal: International laws, Regional laws, Domestic laws.
• Political: Operational restrictions, Discriminatory restrictions, Physical actions.
• Technological: Satellite communication, Internet, Wi-Fi.
• Sustainability: Governance, Community, Workforce, Environment, Marketplace.
• Economic: Developed economies, Emerging economies, less developed economies,
currency movement.

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International Marketing: SLEPTS analysis:
Task 3 marks 2 marks 1 mark 0 marks
Socio/Cultural An excellent A good description A poor description No factual evidence
factors description of the provided with with numerous provided regarding
influencing the socio/cultural minor errors of the errors or the socio/cultural
chosen country. factors for the socio/cultural misunderstanding factors influencing
chosen country. factors for the of the socio/cultural the chosen country.
Language
Includes language, chosen country. factors for the
Religion religion, aesthetics, Includes chosen country. No No examples
values and language, religion, clear language, provided for any of
Aesthetics
attributes and aesthetics, values religion, aesthetics, the factors.
Values and material culture. and attributes and values and
attributes material culture. attributes and
Examples are material culture
Material culture
appropriate and Examples have have been
related well to the minor errors but included.
description of the related well to the
product and the product Examples are
country. description and poorly explained /
country. no examples
provided and do
not relate well to
the description of
the product and the
country.
Legal factors An excellent A good description A poor description No factual evidence
description of the provided with with numerous provided regarding
International legal factors for the minor errors of the errors or the legal factors
Laws chosen country. legal factors for misunderstanding influencing the
Includes the chosen of the legal factors chosen country.
Regional Laws international laws, country. Includes for the chosen
regional laws, and international laws, country. No clear No examples
Home domestic home domestic regional laws, and international laws, provided for any of
Laws laws. home domestic regional laws, the factors.
laws. home domestic
Examples are laws have been
appropriate and Examples have included.
related well to the minor errors but
description of the related well to the Examples are
product and the product poorly explained /
country. description and no examples
country. provided and do
not relate well to
the description of
the product and the
country.
Political factors An excellent A good description A poor description No factual evidence
description of the provided with with numerous provided regarding
Operational and
political factors for minor errors of the errors or the political factors
discriminatory
the chosen country. political factors for misunderstanding influencing the
restrictions and
Includes the chosen of the political chosen country.
physical actions.
operational and country. Includes factors for the
discriminatory operational and chosen country. No No examples
restrictions and discriminatory clear operational provided for any of
physical actions. restrictions and and discriminatory the factors.
physical actions. restrictions and
physical actions

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 Examples are Examples have have been
appropriate and minor errors but included.
related well to the related well to the
description of the product Examples are
product and the description and poorly explained /
country. country. no examples
provided and do
not relate well to
the description of
the product and the
country.
Technological An excellent A good description A poor description No factual evidence
factors description of the provided with with numerous provided regarding
technological minor errors of the errors or the technological
Satellite
factors for the technological misunderstanding factors influencing
communication.
chosen country. factors for the of the technological the chosen country.
Internet, WWW Includes satellite chosen country. factors for the
and Wi-Fi. communication, Includes satellite chosen country. No No examples
internet, and Wi-Fi. communication, clear satellite provided for any of
internet, and Wi- communication, the factors.
Fi. internet, and Wi-Fi
Examples are
have been
appropriate and
Examples have included.
related well to the
minor errors but
description of the
related well to the Examples are
product and the
product poorly explained /
country.
description and no examples
country. provided and do
not relate well to
the description of
the product and the
country.
Sustainability An excellent A good description A poor description No factual evidence
Governance description of the provided with with numerous provided regarding
sustainability minor errors of the errors or the sustainability
Community factors for the sustainability misunderstanding factors influencing
chosen country. factors for the of the sustainability the chosen country.
Workforce Includes chosen country. factors for the
governance, Includes chosen country. No No examples
Environment community, governance, clear governance, provided for any of
workforce community, community, the factors.
Marketplace environment, and workforce workforce
marketplace. environment, and environment, and
marketplace. marketplace have
been included.
Examples are
Examples have
appropriate and
minor errors but Examples are
related well to the
related well to the poorly explained /
description of the
product no examples
product and the
description and provided and do
country.
country. not relate well to
the description of
the product and the
country.
Economic An excellent A good description A poor description No factual evidence
factors description of the provided with with numerous provided regarding
economic factors minor errors of the errors or the economic factors
for the chosen economic factors misunderstanding

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Identify the type country. Includes for the chosen of the economic influencing the
of economy and developed country. Includes factors for the chosen country.
the currency economies, developed chosen country. No
movement: emerging economies, clear developed No examples
economies, less emerging economies, provided for any of
Developed
developed economies, less emerging the factors.
economies.
economies and developed economies, less
Emerging currency economies and developed
economies. movement. currency economies and
movement. currency movement
Less developed
have been
economies. Examples are
Examples have included.
appropriate and
minor errors but
related well to the
related well to the Examples are
description of the
product poorly explained /
product and the
description and no examples
country.
country. provided and do
not relate well to
the description of
the product and the
country.

4. The World Trading Environment [18 Marks]

The data collected in Question 2 of your chosen country tells a mini story of the future
prospects of exportation of your chosen product in 2023 and beyond.

4.1. Evaluate your choice of the country by explaining the future prospects of
exporting your product revealed by the mini-story. (10 marks)

Mini-story:
Task 10- 8 marks 7-6 marks 5-4 marks 3-1 marks 0 marks
Mini story Excellent & Very good Adequate Vague No factual
insightful, and evaluation description evaluation with evaluation
Growth detailed lacking no details.
provided and/or
prospects evaluation. Evaluation used evaluation.
some but not all Evaluation did the
Life expectancy Evaluation of the Evaluation used not use the requirements of
cleverly used information very few facts facts from Q2 to
the question
Happiness index the information from Q2 to from Q2 to compile the
from Q2 to compile the compile the mini-story. The have been
Setbacks compile a mini- mini-story. The mini-story. The mini-story misunderstood
story. The mini- mini story mini-story aligned to both
with no mini-
story perfectly aligned with the aligned with the product and
aligns with both product and the both the the country story compiled.
the product and chosen country, product and the chosen,
the country although country chosen; however,
chosen. improvements however, numerous
could have improvements improvements
been made.

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 should be should be
made. made.

4.2 Apply Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage to your chosen product and
country. (8 marks)

Comparative advantage:

Tasks 8 marks 7-6 marks 5-4 marks 3-1 marks 0 marks

Ricardo’s theory Excellent & Very good Adequate Vague No factual
of insightful, application. description description with application
competitive detailed lacking no details.
provided and/or
advantage application. Ricardo’s detail.
theory of Ricardo’s theory the question's
Producing at a Ricardo’s competitive Ricardo’s theory of competitive requirements
lower prices theory of advantage is of competitive advantage is not
have been
comparative detailed and advantage is not aligned with
Dominating advantage somewhat clearly aligned both the product misunderstood or
Markets with a has been aligned to both with both the and the country no reference or
Product understood the product product and the chosen;
discussion of
and perfectly and the country chosen; however,
Higher product aligned to country numerous numerous trade blocs to the
Quality and both the chosen, improvements improvements chosen country
design product and although should be made. should be made. and product.
the country improvements
chosen. could have Student partly The discussion
been made. understood the is difficult to
Student question;
follow, which
understood Student however, some
errors were greatly affects
the understood the
noted, which the quality of the
requirements requirements;
affected the
description.
of the however, description.

question and minor errors

no errors were noted,

were noted which do not

that affected affect the

the quality of quality of the

the description.

application.

5. Social and cultural factor considerations in international marketing. [17 Marks]

The ladder of engagement is crucial in understanding how customers can shape their
business. Therefore, marketers should actively understand and influence customer
engagement more than their competitors. The mentioned is particularly important when
the marketer enters a new market in a new country.

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5.1. Briefly assess the concept of ‘click ecosystem’ for the successful marketing of
your product as a potential exporter. (7 marks)

Tasks 7 marks 6 marks 5-4 marks 3-1 marks 0 marks

Concept of click Excellent & Very good Adequate Vague No factual
ecosystem insightful, application. description description with application
detailed lacking no details.
provided and/or
Mediates the assessment. Concept of detail.
flow of online ecosystem is Concept of the question's
customers Concept of fairly aligned Concept of ecosystem are requirements
ecosystem with both the ecosystem is not not aligned with
have been
Search engines has been product and clearly aligned both the product
connecting to understood the country with both the and the country misunderstood or
customers and chosen, product and the chosen; no reference or
perfectly although country chosen; however,
discussion of
Analysis of aligned to improvements numerous numerous
customers both the could have improvements improvements trade blocs to the
product and been made. should be made. should be made. chosen country
the country and product.
chosen.

5.2. A ladder of engagement shows how customers will drive the business by
mobilising customer engagement in a structured manner. With the statement in
mind, review the reasons why customer engagements are an important aspect
in creating a strong brand for your product to the chosen country. (10 marks)

Ladder of engagement:

Tasks 10-8 marks 7-6 marks 5-4 marks 3-1 marks 0 marks
Ladder of Excellent & Very good Adequate Vague review No factual
Engagement. insightful, review. review lacking with no details. application
detailed review. detail.
provided
Brand ambassadors Reasons for Reasons for
developed Reasons for customer Reasons for customer and/or the
customer engagement customer engagement question's
Component of engagement being an engagement being an
requirements
planning phase being an important being an important aspect
important aspect in important in creating a have been
Influencers of the aspect in creating a aspect in strong brand are misunderstood
Product creating a strong brand is creating a not aligned with
or no
strong brand fairly aligned to strong brand is both the product
Hype created have been both the not clearly and the country reference or
understood and product and aligned with chosen; review of
perfectly aligned the country both the however, reasons for
to both the chosen, product and numerous

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 product and the although the country improvements customer
country chosen. improvements chosen; should be made. engagement
could have numerous
being an
Student been made. improvements The discussion
should be important
understood the is difficult to
Student made. aspect in
requirements of follow, which
understood the creating a
the question Student partly greatly affects
requirements; strong brand
and no errors understood the the quality of the
however, minor question; to the chosen
were noted that description.
errors were however,
country and
affected the some errors
noted, which product.
quality of the were noted,
do not affect which affected
application.
the quality of the
description.
the description.

6. International marketing research and opportunity analysis: [10 Marks]

Primary fuel is crucial in creating a content marketing strategy for your product. There are
six primary fuel types a marketer could choose from to regularly publish free content that
will attract and meet the needs of your audience.

Choose any one of the six types of primary fuel and provide content for your product in
preparation for publishing it on your website. The chosen primary fuel should align with
the chosen country's target market.

Tasks 10 marks 9-7 marks 6-4 marks 3-1 marks 0 marks

‘Primary fuel’ Excellent, Very good Adequate Vague primary No discussion
for the chosen primary fuel primary fuel primary fuel fuel chosen and provided or the
product and the chosen and the chosen and the chosen and the the discussion requirements of
country discussion discussion discussion does not align the question
aligns to both aligns to both aligns to both to both the have been
the product and the product and the product and product and the misunderstood
the country the country the country country chosen. or concept
chosen. chosen. chosen. incorrectly
The discussion addressed.
Student Student Student partly is difficult to
understood the understood the understood the follow, with The discussion
requirements of requirements of requirements of numerous is difficult to
primary fuel primary fuel; primary fuel, errors noted. follow, with
with no errors however, minor however, numerous
noted. errors were numerous errors noted.
noted. errors were
noted.

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 7. Conclusion and references [12 Marks]

7.1. Conclude the market analysis. (6 marks)

Task 6-5 marks 4-3 marks 2-1 marks 0 marks
Conclusion of the Excellent conclusion Very good conclusion A poor attempt at No
report. of the report. All of the report. All the conclusion of conclusion
sections were sections were the report lacking made or
Summary of all the summarised summarised cleverly, continuity with incorrectly
main points from cleverly, showing showing continuity in numerous errors addressed.
Q1 to Q6. continuity in the the report with some noted.
report. points omitted.

7.2. Provide the reference list for all the sources used in the write-up. (6 marks)

Task 6-5 marks 4-3 marks 2-1 mark 1-0 marks

Reference list Consistent referencing. Inconsistent Inconsistent No referencing.
& in-text All sources are referencing. referencing. No sources
referencing referenced correctly Some sources are Most sources do adhere to the
using the Boston Harvard correctly referenced not adhere to the Boston Method
Method of referencing in whilst others do not Boston Method of of referencing
both in-text and adhere to the Boston referencing in the in the in-text
reference list. Method of in-text citations citations or
referencing in both in- and reference list. reference list.
Very good standard of text and the
research conducted. reference list. Poor standard of Very poor / no
research attempt at
Fair standard of conducted. conducting
research conducted. research.

[Total: 100 Marks]

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