Evaluate the importance of social objectives as Muka prepares a 5-year marketing plan for MAA.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] Social objectives – non-financial objectives such as environmental or animal conservation
2. [1] Marketing planning – 4Ps, objectives and budget
3. [1] Significance of social objectives in marketing plan
4. [1] Implications of social objectives for different stakeholders and company reputation
5. [1] MAA has important social objectives, such as education, conservation and providing local employment
6. [1] MAA is defined by animal conservation activities that are part of its USP.
7. [1] The women's co-operative also provides important local employment opportunities
8. [1] Increased worldwide awareness of environmental and conservation issues, increasing interest from tourists.
9. [1] Social objectives are also important to other sources of finance, such as government and charities
10. [1] Customers pay $10 to enter park. Considering increasing to $12.
11. [1] Product offered by MAA includes safari drives, education centre, small animals in enclosures
12. [1] Wildlife conservation is prominent in all marketing communications.
13. [1] Social objectives such as animal conservation if included in promotion are likely to attract visitors, both local and foreign.
14. [1] Social objectives may well make demand for products such as safari drives price inelastic, giving MAA the opportunity to increase prices and revenue
15. [1] Social objectives may affect decisions about product within marketing plan such as sales from the women's cooperative, increasing income for MAA.
16. [1] Social objectives require substantial investment in MAA's product, such as the need for larger enclosures for animal welfare, impact on profits.
17. [1] Promotion may focus on the social objectives, such as education, of MAA to attract tourists.
18. [1] Social objectives such as education may impact MAA's decision about pricing as an increase in price will reduce customer numbers and therefore lessen MAA's promotion of wildlife conservation.
19. [1] Evaluation of the future importance of social objectives in marketing planning
20. [1] Meaning of success of marketing planning in this context
21. [1] Importance of continuing the emphasis on social objectives, such as animal conservation, as a way of maintaining competitive advantage
22. [1] Effects of other important internal and external factors.
23. [1] Need to make profit
24. [1] Depreciation of currency
25. [1] The external environment is dynamic and change in the future will affect the nature of social objectives differently, such as the attitude of customers to keeping animals in captivity.
26. [1] Impact of changing environment will depend on the management of MAA and its flexibility in responding to change.