MARKETING ROUND TABLE
MARKETING ROUND
TABLES: Strathmore
University
By Thrity Engineer-Mbuthia
M
arketing is a relatively new
profession having come
into existence in the early
part of the 20th century but the
skills related to marketing have been
around for many centuries. Many
text books have varying definitions
of marketing and so many words
come to mind when talking about
marketing.
The Strathmore University has always
had the objective of developing
professionals in the fields of business
and with specific focus on marketing.
It is under this umbrella that the
first ever Marketing Round Table
forum was held at the Strathmore
University’s School of Management
and Commerce.
This event was the brain child of
a team of lecturers at Strathmore
University who came together
with the aim of providing a forum
to students to learn more about
marketing
It was also a platform to showcase
what one can do with a marketing
qualification once one has completed
a course. Marketing is so wide a
field that product management,
public relations, brand management,
corporate communications, sales,
consultancy and even advertising are
all available options, just to name a
few.
Another aim was to bust the
misconception that marketing career
‘‘Associate Dean of the School of
Management and Commerce Dr. Elizabeth
Gachenga spoke of wanting to be part of
changing the perception that marketing is a
course that is taken to pass time, or that is an
easy course to take when one has
no other options.”
38 MAL 11/16 ISSUE
opportunities do not exist and which
has led to students flocking to study
accounting or financ e.
The event targeted third and fourth
year students of the School of
Management and Commerce, and
brought together over 120 students
and just over 25 industry experts
who came together to discuss several
topics.
The forum was addressed by the
Associate Dean of the School of
Management and Commerce Dr.
Elizabeth Gachenga, who spoke
about the practical nature of the
marketing profession, thanking the
various industry experts for coming
to share their experience with the
students.
She emphasised that this was the
first of many more sessions and
also shared that the University
had received accreditation
from the Chartered Institute of
Marketing to rollout the marketing
professional course, giving students
the opportunity to study for a
professional qualification as well as a
degree.