AS Business Studies Revision: Marketing Past Year Essay (2015-2016) and Definition Questions

Following are some concepts that can appear in the questions asking for definition in the exam.  Please make effort to look for the definitions of these following concepts.   It is highly recommended that you do not look at a single source of reference to find the definition but to make reference to at least two so you can do a comparison and appreciate how the definition of a single concept can be expressed differently. 

As additional, it is good to know how you can define the below concepts as sometimes you can give definition as an introduction to certain essay question involved those concepts.

Market segmentation
Unique selling point
4Cs
Niche market
Portfolio analysis
Customer-orientated marketing
Product-orientated marketing

Secondary market research
Primary market research
Focus group

Above-the-line promotion
Below-the-line promotion
Point-of-sales promotion
Rebate

Demographic segmentation
Geographic segmentation
Psychographic segmentation
Behavioural segmentation

Target market
Market positioning

Brand

Skimming pricing
Penetrative pricing
Cost-based pricing
Psychological pricing
Dynamic pricing
Discriminatory pricing
Elasticity of demand

Probability sampling
Non-probability sampling
Random sampling
Stratified sampling
Quota sampling

Customer loyalty
Customer retention

For your further knowledge: To know the difference between target market and target audience, click here.  In A-Level exam, often these two terms are used interchangeably and examiners are not very particular on which you despite the small difference.

PAPER 1 MARKETING ESSAY QUESTIONS

Comment: From my analysis of the 2015 and 2016 past year papers, almost each seating have a marketing essay question with the exception of 1 (i.e 9609/13/M/J/16).  As you look through the questions, it appears that all of them will require students to exhibit their understand of their marketing learning to apply the concepts and theories into certain specific contexts. As often, questions that are 12 and 20 marks will call for EVALUATION which require students to be able to look at the advantages and disadvantages or the usefulness and limitations certain marketing practice or application of theories and concepts.

Those with 20 marks are often quite challenging but it will be rewarding if students can answer them well.  Usually, questions of 20 marks will often reward students with some creative answer who are able to look at the issue(s) stated in the questions from various perspectives.

1. (a) a Analyse the benefits to a business of product portfolio analysis. (8 marks) [9609/11/O/N/16]

1. (b) Discuss the importance of branding in he promotion of a soft drinks product. (12 marks) [9609/11/O/N/16]

2. (a) Analyse, using examples, why packaging could be important in marketing mix. (8 marks)[9609/12/O/N/16]

2. (b) Discuss factors that could determine the success of a business that has decided to set up an online shop to sell beauty products. (12 mark) [9609/12/O/N/16] Click here for a sample answer.

3. Discuss how a large national fast food retailer could develop effective marketing during a period of economic recession. (20 marks) [9609/13/O/N/16]

4. (a) Analyse how a business might use price elasticity of demand of demand for pricing decisions. (8 marks) [9609/11/M/J/16]

4. (b) Discuss the best ways a car manufacturer could use the marketing mix to increase its share o for the market. (12 marks) [9609/11/M/J/16]

5. 'The 4Cs marketing model is more useful for a retail business than the 4Ps marketing model.'  Do you agree with this statement? Justify your view. (20 marks) [9609/12/M/J/16]

6. (a) Explain the importance of primary market research to a new business. (8 marks) [9609/11/O/N/15]

6. (b) Discuss how a business could make sure that its market research expenditure is cost effective. (12 marks) [9609/11/O/N/15]

7. Discuss the view that while market research can be very beneficial for a business it can also have serious limitations. (20 marks) [9609/12/O/N/15]

8. (a) Explain the importance of a USP (unique selling point) to the marketing of a product or service. (8 marks) [9609/13/O/N/15]

8. (b) Discuss ways in which poor customer relations could be improved in a large retail business. (12 marks) [9609/13/O/N/15]

9. (a) Explain the differences between niche marketing and mass marketing. (8 marks) [9609/11/M/J/15]

9. (b) Discuss the view that marketing is only about the advertising and selling of products and services. (12 marks) [9609/11/M/J/15]

10. Discuss the view that product differentiation is the most important activity of the marketing department of a motor car manufacturer. (20 marks) [9609/12/O/N/15]

11. (a) Explain, with examples, the difference between 'above the line' and 'below the line' methods of promotion. (8 marks) [9609/13/O/N/15]

11. (b) Discuss the importance of branding for effective product promotion. (12 marks) [9609/13/O/N/15]

Marketing: A2 Level Revision

Note:In the year 2013, there are two questions on marketing that came out in Global Media Corporation [9707/31/M/J/13] and Shoe Style International [9707/31/O/N/12]

Marketing Plan	Market Segmentation	International Marketing	Internet Marketing	Price
10	1	1	1	1

Elasticity of Demand	Sales Forecasting	Miscellaneous
3	4	8

Table 1: Analysis of the frequency of marketing related questions that appears in the past year A-Level exam from May/June 2012 to Oct/Nov 2016 based on topics.

Marketing Plan (inc. Marketing Objectives and Marketing Strategy

1. Recommend to LeBlanc Kitchen Equipment (LKE) an appropriate strategy for marketing its products in country Y. Justify your recommendation. (16 marks) [9707/31/O/N/13, Q5]
2. Discuss an appropriate marketing plan for the launch of Global Media Corporation (GMC) cell phone service in your country. (16 marks) [9707/32/M/J/13, Q5]  Click here for answer discussion.
3. Discuss the extent to which Cloud Catering should change its marketing strategy within country Y.  Refer to the data in Appendix 2 and other information in your answer. (16 marks) [9707/33/M/J/13, Q3]
4. Evaluate the key features of a marketing plan which Building Supplies Limited) could use for increasing sales to the retail market. (14 marks) [9707/32/O/N/12, Q3]
5. Recommend a marketing strategy for the Global Conglomerate Company (GCC) education subsidiary.  Justify your recommendation. (16 marks) [9707/32/M/J/12, Q5]
6. To what extent will a marketing plan ensure that the new 'Maize Crunchies' product is profitable? (14 marks) [9707/32/M/J/15]
7. Using the data in Table 1, calculate for 2014:

(i) gross profit margin (3)

(ii) net profit margin (3)

(b) Recommend a marketing plan which could increase profit margins for Ramos Sugar Corporation (RSC)'s Food Manufacturing Division.  Justify your recommendation. (14 marks) [9707/31/M/J/14 Q2]

8. Assume CCP is to begin selling the Sandson Electeronic Limited (SEL) designed robo-cleaner in your country for the first time.  Evaluate a marketing strategy that CCP could use. (16 marks) [9609/31/M/J/16, Q3]
9. Refer to Appendix B and other information.  Discuss the changes that Xiang Mobile (XM) might need to make to its current marketing strategy when entering the market in country Z. (16 marks) [9609/33/M/J/16, Q4]
10. Refer to Table 2 and other information.  Discuss the changes Khalid and Akbars (KA) could make to its current marketing strategy in response to the difficult economic conditions. (16 marks) [9609/31/O/N/16, Q4]

Market Segmentation

1. Analyse the advantages to Platypus Accessories of market segmentation. (10 marks) [9707/33/M/J/14, Q1]

 

International Marketing - Localisation vs Standardisation

1. Recommend to Pop Cool (PC)'s Board of Directors which one of the two strategies should be adopted for entering new markets in Asia and Africa (lines 31-45). (16 marks) [9707/33/O/N/13, Q3]

Internet Marketing / E-Commerce

1. Discuss the most important features of a marketing plan that Leo Fantastic Flowers could develop to sell flowers successfully through the Internet (e-commerce). (16 marks) [9707/33/O/N/12, Q5]

Sales Forecasting

Note: When studying about Sales Forecasting, students should not just be proficient in making calculation of the the moving average but must also know how sales forecasting can be useful to other departments and their respective functions besides marketing especially HR and the production department.

1. (a) refer to the data in Appendix 2. Calculate the following missing values.

(i) x (1 mark)

(ii) y (1 mark)

(iii) z (2 mark)

(b) Refer to the data in Appendix 2 and Jo's extrapolated trend line on the graph in Appendix 3.  Forecast JCL's actual sales level in:

(i) 2013 Quarter 4 (3 marks)

(ii) 2014 Quarter 1 (3 marks)

(c) Evaluate the extent to which Des should only rely on this moving average method of sales forecasting when making decisions about operating capacity and staffing levels [9707/32/O/N/13, Q4]

2. Evaluate the extent to which you agree with Rakesh that 'sales forecasting techniques were a waste of time and resources for a business such as Mountain Tour (MT)'. (16 marks) [9707/32/M/J/13, Q3]
3. (a) Refer to Table 1, Calculate the values of:

(i) u (1 mark)

(ii) v (1 mark)

(iii) w (1 mark)

(iv) x (1 mark)

(v) y (2 marks)

(vi) z (2 marks)

(b) Assess the usefulness of sales forecasts to Chilled Air Limited (CAL). (12 marks) [9707/33/M/J/12, Q2]

4. Assess the extent to which the use of sales forecasting might improve the effectiveness of Farah Fruit Farm (FF)s human resource management, such as workforce planning. (16 marks)  [9707/33/O/N/15, Q5]

Price

1. Using the data in Appendix A, analyse the benefits to Active Fitness (AF) of its current pricing structure. (10 marks) [9707/31/O/N/14, Q1]

Elasticity of Demand

1. (a) Refer to Appendix 2. calculate for the Daily Recorder:

(i) price elasticity of demand in December 2012 (3 marks)

(ii) advertising elasticity of demand in May 2013 (3 marks)

(b) Using your results from (a) and other information, discuss whether Global Media Corporation should close the Daily Recorder. (14 marks) [9707/31/M/J/13]

Note: Sometimes advertising elasticity of elasticity can be known as promotional elasticity of demand

2. Discuss how the business could make the demand for the bicycles produced by Bikes For All less sensitive to price increases. (16 marks) [9707/31/M/J/12]
3. (a) Using the data in Appendix C, calculate:

(i) promotional elasticity of demand for Lemonfizz (3 marks)

(ii) price elasticity of demand for Lemonfizz (3 marks)

(b) Discuss whether LF should reduce price or increase promotional expenditure in order to increase sales of Lemonfizz, refer to your results from (a) and any other relevant information. (14 marks)  [9707/31/O/N/14, Q4]

4. (a) Refer to Appendix 2 and the Board's market share objective on lines 55-56. Calculate:

(i) forecast value of MFI's sales in country Y in 2017 (3 marks)

(ii) price elasticity of demand of the best-selling premium brand of processed fish. (5 marks)

(b) Discuss z suitable marketing strategy that marco could use for FineDine products in country Y.  Use your results from 4(a) and other relevant information. (14 marks) [9609/32/O/N/16, Q4]

Miscellaneous Topics

Note: We can see there are some occasions that the question on marketing in the A2 past year papers do not touch on any major topics cover in the syllabus such as - integrated marketing mix, Ansoff's matrix and the application of marketing strategies for each quadrant, product portfolio analysis, building customer relationship, strategy to promote customer loyalty and analysis of factors affecting the success of a marketing effort.  As such, students should be prepared to have understanding of the minor topics in order to address any eventualities.

1. Discuss the importance to the success of Marco shoes of an integrated and coordinated marketing mix. (14 marks) [9707/31/O/N/12, Q3] Click here for answer discussion.
2. Evaluate the strategies that Shoe Style International (SSI) could adopt (other than introducing the Marco range of shoes) to achieve increases in sales and profits. Use Ansoff's Matrix in your answer. [9707/31/O/N/12, Q5]
3. Analyse the benefits and limitations to Chan Chicken Farm (CCF) of an extensive product portfolio. (10 marks) [9707/31/M/J/15, Q1]
4. Discuss the factors that may determine the success of Genco Oven (GO)'s entry into the consumer oven market. (16 marks) [9707/32/O/N/15, Q3]
5. Evaluate how Timtang Corporation (TC) could develop its long term relationships with customers if it opens its own retail outlets (Strategic Option 1). (16 marks) [9707/32/O/N/14, Q3]
6. (a) Using data in Table 1, calculate:

(i) payback period

(ii) net present value (NPV) at discounted rate of 12%

(b) Using your results from 2(a) and other information, discuss whether further research and development expenditure is advisable for Global Construction (GC). (14 marks) [9707/32/M/J/14, Q2]  This question relates to the topic of product being one of the component of the marketing mix and new product development.

7. Evaluate ways in which Senbo Corporation (SC) increase customer loyalty to Senbo Home Maintenance (SHM). (14 marks) [9707/33/O/N/14 Q3]
8. Discuss the importance of Research and Development (R&D) to Xiang Mobile's future success in the smartphone market. (14 marks) [9609/33/M/J/16, Q2]

Important Note: Research and Development is not the same as market research.

Further Consideration

Students are encouraged to further explore the following marketing related issues and acquire more information about.

• Social media marketing - pros and cons
• Mobile marketing consideration (as an additional channel for marketing communication and commercial transaction)
• Strategies for product life extension
• Product portfolio analysis

Those who like to download the past year exam papers for Cambridge A-Level Business Studies (9707) for the year 2014 and 2015 can click on the link here. You can ask your respective lecturers to provide you the past year papers especially those from 2013 and before.