Marketing in a complex and changing world
Marketing activities and skills need to change in step with the deep and often contradictory changes underway in our environment, including digital technology and the development of a participatory culture turning consumers into ethical consumers, a sense of belonging to several communities through affinity or emotional ties, the emergence of a trend towards a more responsible form of marketing and new forms of competition based on the creation of open ecosystems involving “business partners”.
It was with these changes in mind that we designed the MSc Marketing & Brand Management, working with a team of teacher-researchers and companies who are part of the KEDGE Business School ecosystem. The professors belong to one of Europe’s best-known Research Centres, the KEDGE BS “Marketing Centre of Excellence”.
Working with businesses, they take our current state of knowledge forward in the marketing field, and involve students in their research. Companies are involved in the joint-creation of the programme at several levels: some are involved in managing the programme via the Development Committee, while others support students throughout their optional study routes thanks to “guiding light” partnerships.
They all share the same aim: to help future graduates to be at the very pinnacle of their ability and to succeed in their future careers.
Programme highlights
“Digital skills” tracks
“office systems”, “personal branding”, “design using Adobe”, “Google Adwords & analytics”, etc.
A specialised programme providing access to 80% of marketing occupations
thanks to its design: a common core leading on to occupation-specific and sector-specific options.
A 3-tiered educational approach
- 1/3 teaching provided by top level academic professors who are members of the Kedge BS “Marketing Centre of Excellence”: they enable students to benefit from the latest progress in the marketing field thanks to their involvement in research projects with companies.
- 1/3 lectures given by experts and professionals: they share their expertise and experience with the students
- 1/3 experience-based work to create, apply and analyse: fieldwork, corporate projects, visits to companies, etc.
A “guiding-light partnership”
in each of the occupation-specific and/or sector-specific options. A company supports the students throughout the whole of the second semester (conferences, job dating, case studies, workshops, applied research problems, etc.). Examples of partner companies (Danone, Cultura, Procter & Gamble, Dentsu Aegis Network, etc.)
SKILLS
Versatility
to be able to understand the challenges presented by different and often highly specific activities and occupations. Versatility is vital to be able to coordinate and manage teams assigned to complex projects.
A state of mind firmly focused on the “time to market”
today’s best practices can become outdated in just a few months’ time. Development cycles are getting shorter and are increasingly based around “test, learn and amplify” cycles.
Capacity for analysis
In the age of big data, marketing professionals must be able to analyse quantitative data and interpret qualitative data derived, for example, from an ethnomarketing-based approach
Technical skills
particularly in the digital field.
An ability to think outside the box
to create new market opportunities, to challenge established processes in order to improve the customer experience and actively participate in innovative imitative activities.
