Sample Masters Merit Business Topics and Titles

Three example topics with titles in the subject of business

TITLE 1: Is Direct Mail dead? Exploring the relevancy of traditional marketing in a digital world

This dissertation proposes to explore Direct Mail’s effectiveness and value as a standalone channel, in a now progressively digital world. Contextually, research points to the existence of the contemporary digital stratosphere, where technology has transformed and empowered existing business processes, communication and culture (HBR, 2017). Similarly, the media has begun to explore the phenomenon of the plugged-in paradox, arguing that technology has facilitated the growth of consumers who are always connected and always online (BBC, 2015). Black (2010) posits as a result, the plugged-in paradox has catalysed the progress of generations who are immersed in instantaneous and hyper-technology, increasing demand for instant gratification. Subsequently, this topic will explore how the progression of digital technology has impacted the relevancy of traditional marketing methods such as Direct Mail. Increasingly, academics continue to refute the significance of Direct Mail today, with some advocating for its demise, with others indorsing its enduring effectiveness (Forbes, 2017). Outcomes include assisting marketing practitioners of a developed understanding of the value of marketing channels for contemporary consumers.

TITLE 1 SOURCES

BBC. (2015). Are you ‘over-connected’?. [online] Bbc.com. Available at: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150310-are-you-over-connected [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

Black, A., (2010). “Gen Y: Who they are and how they learn”. Educational Horizons, vol. 88, no. 2, pp. 92-101.

Forbes. (2017). Council Post: Why Direct Mail Marketing Is Far From Dead. [online] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2017/08/30/why-direct-mail-marketing-is-far-from-dead/#4d1f88c9311d [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

Harvard Business Review. (2017). Is Your Company Adapting Fast Enough to Thrive in an Increasingly Digital World?. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/sponsored/2017/10/is-your-company-adapting-fast-enough-to-thrive-in-an-increasingly-digital-world [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

TITLE 2: Effective Multichannel marketing: Does Direct Mail have value in integrative communications?

A WARC study (1996) posits the growing climate where the overloaded customer has the power to shut out unwanted types of information and businesses and brands must fight for attention. This dissertation explores the emergence of integrative communications at the business, marketing and operational-levels, considering the contemporary environment where it is common for marketers to embrace a cross-cultural and integrative marketing mix to reach consumers. This is significant as studies demonstrate that consumer cohorts, lifestyles and values impact receptiveness to specific types of marketing channels including Direct Mail, Email or Social Media (Mailmen, 2018; Balakrishnan et al. 2014; McKinsey & Co, 2014). Consequently, this dissertation proposes an exploration into the value of traditional types of marketing such as Direct Mail within the climate of integrative marketing communications. This topic will encompass a valuable area of study in helping to clarify the conditions in which Direct Mail as a marketing channel can create value for different consumers today.

TITLE 2 SOURCES

Balakrishnan, B.K., Dahnil, M.I. & Yi, W.J., (2014). “The impact of social media marketing medium toward purchase intention and brand loyalty among generation Y”. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 148, pp. 177-185.

Mailmen. (2018). Fledglings. [online] Available at: http://www.mailmen.co.uk/campaigns/lifestages/fledglings [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

McKinsey & Company. (2019). Why marketers should keep sending you e-mails. [online] Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/why-marketers-should-keep-sending-you-emails [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

WARC. (1996). Benefits and barriers to integrated communications | WARC. [online] Available at: https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/benefits_and_barriers_to_integrated_communications/3828 [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

TITLE 3: Is Direct Mail dead within a digital marketing world? Exploring the value of Direct Mail in Multichannel communications

It is becoming increasingly apparent that marketers are beginning to abandon Direct Mail, with declines of about 10% or £1.5billion predicted over the next two-years (PrintWeek, 2019). As such, the advertising landscape has fundamentally changed, with digital transformation pioneering the growth of channels such as email, social media and online PR (Marketing Week, 2018). However, critics argue that as GDPR, trust and authority become prominent issues in society, Direct Mail is seen as more believable and therefore more likely to capture the attention of marketers (The Drum, 2017). Furthermore, as market communications become increasingly integrative, this dissertation seeks to explore the relevance and value of Direct Mail within a progressively multichannel consumption environment. Overall, this title is more concise, integrating Titles 1 and 2 in considering the contemporary landscape where digital and multichannel marketing have influenced how marketers and businesses operate.

TITLE 3 SOURCES

Marketing Week. (2018). 'Relentless' digital growth boosts UK marketing budgets. [online] Marketing Week. Available at: https://www.marketingweek.com/digital-growth-boost-uk-marketing-budgets/ [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

PrintWeek. (2019). Print in decline as digital dominates ad spend | PrintWeek . [online] Available at: https://www.printweek.com/print-week/news/1167590/print-in-decline-as-digital-dominates-ad-spend [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

The Drum. (2017). Direct mail is back in the mix: consumers consider mail believable as digital channels face ‘trust fatigue’. [online] Available at: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/09/26/direct-mail-back-the-mix-consumers-consider-mail-believable-digital-channels-face [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].