156757 Marketing Strategy Assignment Information 2026 | Massey University

156757 Assignment Information

Due date: 31 Mar & 2 Apr 2026

Oral Examination – A Debate

A debate is an organised argument or contest of ideas in which participants discuss a topic – usually philosophical, social, and/or political in nature, and often a pressing matter in current affairs – from two opposing sides in a controlled, civil setting.

At their best, debates teach us that the best way to address a poor or reprehensible argument is to put it on a platform and, using all the intellectual, forensic, and rhetorical skills at one’s disposal, expose its incoherence and/or dishonesty. The way to become accomplished at this is precisely to interact with positions, ideologies and worldviews that differ from your own.

This is crucial firstly to enable anticipation of the other perspective – the better to rebut it – but also to enable a shift or modification in one’s own view, precisely by virtue of having been exposed to alternative arguments that challenge one’s own prejudices and presuppositions.

Where Debating Takes Place Today?

Many people think that debates take place in traditional settings such as university, boardrooms and the Houses of Parliament. They do, but they happen everywhere, from dinner tables to TikTok comment sections to, increasingly, primary school classrooms right across the world!

Debating delivers a whole host of benefits including sharpening your critical thinking, improving your public speaking and boosting your self-confidence and teamwork, so it’s an exciting area to be involved in.

Your Oral Examination

Your oral examination is to prepare for and participate in a group debate.

The groups and topics of the debate/s will be decided during Week 2 in preparation for Week 6.

Requirements

• Format: 3 Minutes for each member.
• Teams and Topics: Will be assigned
• Style: it will be structured debate (see detailed below)
• Tools: You may use cue cards/paper for notes during the debate
• Within the debate you will have the opportunity to show how well you can: o talk fluently and at a suitable pace
  o speak clearly and project your voice effectively
  o use facial expression and eye contact to communicate ouse appropriate vocabulary and style of talk
  o structure your talk well and choose content that is appropriate ouse metaphor, humour and other rhetorical devices
  o seek information and clarification through asking questions, and summarise ideas ogive reasons to support your views and critically examine the views expressed byothers
  o not make your talk too simple or too complicated for others to understand o listen carefully and respond appropriately to others.
• Marking is two-fold:
  o 80% of the debate result will be based on the observations of the Lecturer and based on your submitted preparation notes. The “Structured Debate” notes must be submitted within 24 hours following the debate (maximum: 500 words).
  o 20% of the debate result will be based on peer and self-assessment (based on the average of your group only).
• For more information, please see the information shared during week one.

A Structured Debate

A structured debate follows a set layout for interactions.  This layout ensures each participant has an equal share of the talk time, as well as leaves opportunities for more impromptu responses.  The debating layout will give you the opportunity to present persuasive arguments, ask questions of others and answer questions appropriately.

A structured debate is always led by the “House”.  The “House” in this examination will be the lecturer.  The following format will apply:

NB: Depending on the size of your group, you may have more than one “second” speaker, but you can only have one first and one third speaker.

Debate Topic

The debate topics will be decided by the class, and it should relate to the topics covered in Weeks 15.  As a reminder, the core topics are outlined below.

MODULE 1: Marketing Strategy

Week 1 Introduction – Strategy and Strategic Marketing

Week 2 Customer – customer heterogeneity (segmentation)

Week 3 Customer – customer dynamics (customer life cycles and evolution of loyalty)

Week 4 Competitor – sustainable competitive advantage 1 (customer equity and branding)  Week 5 Competitor – sustainable competitive advantage 2 (branding or relationships)

These topics may create debating questions such as:

• This House would focus on the “minds of the customers” instead of the marketing strategy (firm) when it comes to marketing strategy.
• This House would prefer to use “branding”, as this is essential in modern marketing management.  This House would prefer to use AI as a marketing strategy tool, considering its important role in modern marketing management .
• This House would prefer to use social media as a marketing strategy tool, due to its vital role in modern marketing management.
• This House would prefer to support globalization, as this is essential in modern marketing management.