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MAN-20062 - Module Specification
Keele Business School
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

MAN-20062 - Marketing in Society
Coordinator: Rachel Lee Tel: +44 1782 7 33112
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733094

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

The module is concerned with the broader role of marketing in society. It thus examines the impact of marketing uses and practices and addresses some of the interrelated aspects of corporate social responsibility, marketing ethics and social marketing.
The module content unfolds along three dimensions. We will firstly examine some of the basic ethical philosophies, which will help us reflect upon the issues around marketing applications. We then consider some of the key ethical issues involved in marketing decision-making and the responsibilities of organisations to their stakeholders and the wider community. Finally, we examine the ways in which companies and organisations can use marketing in an ethical way, with a view to contributing to the common good, i.e. societal and social marketing.

Aims
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the effects of various marketing activities in society and the ways in which marketers have responded to changes in the socio-cultural-economic environment and demands for more ethical and responsible practices.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Critically analyse current social and ethical marketing issues faced by organisations.: 1
Evaluate the impact of social and ethical marketing issues on a broad range of stakeholders.
: 1
Apply social and ethical marketing theories to develop a more socially responsible approach to marketing for organisations.: 2

Study hours

Lectures 12 hours
Seminars/group work 12 hours
Preparation for lectures 24 hours
Seminar/group work preparation 24 hours
Assignment preparation 40 hours
Private study 38 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Presentation weighted 40%
Group presentation
Using relevant concepts and theories from the module and further related research, students will work in groups of between 3-5 students to prepare a live in-person presentation that analyses a current societal marketing issue and evaluates the implications of the issue for marketing management. Students will be provided with a range of topic areas to choose from and any alternative choice of topic must be agreed the module leader. The presentation will be 12-15 minutes in length and presented to the module leader and normally one other group of students from the module. Another member of staff may be also present at times for internal moderation purposes. Marking will be at group level. Peer review will be available and the peer review process and documents will be provided on the KLE and within assessment briefing sessions.

2: Report weighted 60%
1500-word individual report
Students are asked to build on the societal marketing topic they chose for their presentation to write a 1500-word report that suggests solutions as to how an organisation could take a more socially responsible approach to marketing. The assessment will require application of relevant concepts, theories and research to inform and justify the relevancy and viability of the solutions proposed.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025