MAN-20060 - Module Specification
Keele Business School
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

Prerequisite module: Marketing Principles (MAN10019)

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

The service sector dominates in most developed countries. Companies in all sectors, including manufacturing and business-to-business settings, are recognising that the service element of their ¿goods¿ can be a vitally important factor that underpins the whole offering. Effective services approaches can also help to differentiate a company from other providers in today¿s highly competitive markets. It is appropriate, given the proliferation of services to broaden and develop knowledge and understanding of marketing principles in a service environment. The characteristics of services have profound implications for the way that managers in the services sector develop, promote and deliver their service.
The aim of this module is to develop a framework for understanding services and their effective marketing. Students will be encouraged to examine critically the unique characteristics of services and services marketing practice, and to identify appropriate strategies for the marketing of services. The module will commence by critically appraising the characteristics that distinguish services products from physical goods. The extended marketing mix will be explored to enable the student to recognise how competitive advantage can be planned and developed in the service sector.
Services marketing is as much about processes as it is about outcomes. These processes will involve interaction between various customers and the service provider, often within a unique physical environment. Exploring the role of service employees will give the student further insights into the importance of people in service performance. Service quality will be addressed as one of the factors underpinning service delivery. We will also consider the importance of technology and relationship marketing, particularly in a service context.

This module seeks to explore a wide variety of services marketing activities and settings to help students develop an understanding of both the theoretical and practical dimensions and determinants involved in delivering customer experience and satisfaction within service-based organisations.

Intended Learning Outcomes

define the characteristics of services marketing: 1,2
identify and analyse the application of services marketing theory and practice in a variety of services settings: 1,2
analyse the managerial/marketing factors that influence customer satisfaction in a services marketing setting: 1,2
develop and evaluate ideas and strategies for improving services marketing experiences for customers: 2
reflect upon services marketing experiences from a customer's standpoint, and use and apply theory to underpin those reflections: 1,2

Study hours

Lectures 12 hours
Tutorials 12 hours
Preparation for lectures 24 hours
Tutorial preparation 24 hours
Assignment preparation 40 hours
Private study 38 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment