This unit was
a very helpful and inspiring course for me. It covers almost every aspects of
branding knowledge for me. Another good thing is that we have different tutors
to gave us lectures, so that for us, we can get different teaching technique,
background information from different people.
It also benefits me
on our future choice of the dissertation topic. Because at least for me, I
found where my interests are from the unit.
The case study report is a new challenge of me, as I never wrote a business plan before, the
first thing that I was trying to figure out is that what is the structure and
definition of a ‘business plan’
report. When I got to that point, then it goes to the different topic choices we can make. Due to
I found that I am into beauty
and skincare business a lot, so I decide to do this direction. The first
tutorial that we have helped a lot for me, it tells what aspects should be
covered and emphasis on, as well as from the tutor’s point of view, what is a
good business plan.
Sometimes I found that the worst thing is, what as a student understood to be a
good essay, is actually different with the tutor’s wish. So it is essential for
me that clearly knowing what is the criterial of a ‘good business plan’.
Then I started the research process. Because of personal interest, I
chose the Chinese fashion
brand “Exception”
as the brand that I am going to do. Going through the essential previous
studies and theories about
establishing brand and
entering a new market, and critically thinking about it was the starting
stage of the further
research and analysis.
The more I read, the more I felt myself to be in that area, so that later I
could merge myself in that context for the following research procedure. After
choosing the key theories and
models, then I started searching about Chinese market and the existing competitors,
as the center of the
study. Because all theories should be linked and pointed out to the brand
itself at the end, I decided always
start with an area of theories first, and then linked to the practical
implication of core concept of
this extension project. However, although the study was generally
discussing in terms of the business
plan itself, I always tried to analyzing from the other brands’ marketing strategies, which helps me a lot
to make the detail plans of every aspect of the “Exception Beauty” .
There are certainly limitations of my case study. I used to think
about adopting interviews
and surveys as the primary methodology for my business plan. However, due to the limitation
of the time, I did not collection enough data to support the final outcome, so
I have to give them up. If I have more time, for sure I will incorporate
a new way of researching in the future, maybe I will find it more valuable and
learn a lot more from there.
The business plan
project is a review of the past two years’
content and I did go through the related slides again and again, and every time
some new understanding coming to me. From the research process, I learned a lot
from the self study. The most important thing that I learned this term is
that---How to based on the previous study to develop my own concept and
perspective, reasonably and credibly.
