This subject involves critically evaluating the impact of a range of new and emerging themes in business organisations and the marketing environment. In addition, this unit will also help you build and refine the skills necessary to anticipate and adapt to future change.

By the end of this subject, you will be able to critically evaluate the significance of various emerging themes. You will be able to demonstrate your ability to recognise their strategic significance and to consider how best to integrate them when developing and implementing marketing strategies.

The critical evaluation will require you to analyse the impact of the emerging themes from a strategic perspective at a sectoral or industry level. You will also be required to investigate their possible impact on the organisation you work for, or on an organisation you know well.

·         be able to critically evaluate macro-environmental emerging themes and assess/forecast their potential impact on a sector or industry.

·         be able to critically evaluate meso-enviromental emerging themes and assess/forecast their potential impact on a sector or industry.

·         be able to judge the importance of a range of emerging themes to a particular organisation.

·         be able to develop contemporary strategic marketing and business responses to a prioritised emerging theme.

·         be able to propose methods by which marketing professionals can anticipate and adapt to change.

·         The need to monitor the macro –environment and make changes

·         Changes in political governance systems and political focus

·         Contemporary economic opportunities/challenges

·         Social change (at local and global levels)

·         Emerging Technologies

·         Environmental challenges

·         Methods of forecasting/predicting change

·         Changes in consumer behaviour

·         Changes in nature/structure of competition and nature/structure of supply chains