Syllabus
University of CentralArkansas, College of Business Administration
Marketing Strategy (MBA 6308) -Summer I, 2006
6:00pm - 10:00pm, Tuesday & Thursday
Room 220
Professor:David Kim
Office:BBA 224
Office Hours:By appointment
Telephone:450-5316 or 450-3411
e-mail:
Course Overview:The business press is filled with countless articles that discuss marketing strategies and tactics. However, attempts to develop marketing strategies and implement them are most challenging. This course provides an overview of marketing (eg., concepts, tools, frameworks, and issues). It also explores new ways to make the best marketing decisions. Primary emphasis will be placed on lecture and class discussions that require the ability to integrate concepts from all business disciplines (e.g., accounting, finance, management, production operations, and marketing) and personal work/life experience.
Course Objectives: This course has the following objectives: 1) to apply the basic marketing tools to organizational problems/issues; 2) to further develop analytical, communication, and cooperation skills; 3) to research and re-think the manner in which business and personal decisions are made; 4) to apply concepts and ideas to personal life/career.
Course Format
Most of the class time will be spent mainly on analyzing, discussing, and presenting materials from the chapter texts and questions. Special emphasis will be placed on your active participation and inquiry. Each class will be divided into two sections: 1) lecture over selected topics from text and 2) class discussion.
Class Conduct/Expectations
Attendance/Tardiness: In accordance with University policy, regular attendance and punctuality is expected. Poor attendance/tardiness will affect your final grade. After a second absence, the student will receive a W/P, W/F, or X (Incomplete) based on the instructor’s discretion. ** Class participation will be factored heavily in determining final grade, especially if the student is border-line. All absences/tardiness will work against the student’s participation grade.
Class Discussion: The objective of class discussion is to present your thoughts and ideas that cannot be replicated through lecture/textbook learning. To achieve this objective, please observe the following: 1) listen when others speak, 2) be courteous, 3) speak to the group (not to me), 4) stay on the topic, and 5) try not to dominate the discussion.
Each student must turn in a written response to the discussion questions. These are due at the end of class on the day of discussion starting 6/8. These should be typed with a minimum of one page. The quality of these written responses will be used as part of your final exam grade.
Required Reading:Kotler, Philip, and Keller, Kevin Lane, Marketing Management, 12th edition, Pearson Prentice-Hall, 2006
Grading Scheme
Points
Quiz 150
Quiz 250
Paper100
Final Exam100
TOTAL300 points
Final grades in the course will be based on the following distribution of total points obtained in the course: 360 and over--A; 320 to 359--B; 280 to 319--C; 240 to 279--D; and below 240--F.
Student Handbook: Students should familiarize themselves with all policies listed in the 2005 - 2006 student handbook, including specific policies on sexual harassment (pp. 112-119), general academic policies (pp. 35-40), and academic dishonesty (pp. 37-40).
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE
DATETOPIC
(Week 1)
6/6 (Tue)Introduction to Course
Marketing in the 21st Century
Chapter 1 – Defining Marketing for 21st Century
Chapter 2 – Developing Marketing Strategies and Plans
Chapter 3 – Gathering Information and Scanning the Marketing Environment
Chapter 4 – Conducting Marketing Research and Forecasting Demand
Questions for Discussion:
1. Define or describe "value." Explain all the different ways the marketer can increase the value of the customer offering. Give real life examples of how a company can increase the value of the customer offering.
2. The primary purpose of an organization/business is to generate profits. Do you agree? If the
primary purpose is to NOT generate profits, then what should be the primary purpose? Why?
6/8 (Thurs)Chapter 5: Creating Customer Value, Satisfaction, and Loyalty
Chapter 6: Analyzing Consumer Markets
Chapter 7 – Analyzing Business Markets
Chapter 8 – Identifying Market Segments and Targets
Questions for Discussion:
Read “Shifts in Marketing Management” (pp. 27 – 29). Discuss ways in which your company has (or should) made the shift. What are some challenges in making this “shift?”
The concept of a world view has received increasing attention for the past several years. A worldview is how we interpret our world and how we apply it to our lives. Each of us has a worldview that is shaped by our upbringing, family, culture, education, media, etc. World views are so much a part of our lives that we see and hear them daily, whether we recognize them or not. In business, and marketing in particular, a study of worldview is critical because it affects every decision we make. However, a proper worldview is needed to make decisions that ultimately impact our company, our customers, and society. What are the elements of a proper world view?
DATETOPIC
(Week 2)
6/13 (Tue)Chapter 9 – Creating Brand Equity
Chapter 10 – Crafting the Brand Positioning
Question for Discussion
1. Theodore Levitt and Sterling Hayden have both written about human consumption trends.
Theodore Levitt
The “purpose” of the product is not what the engineer explicitly says it is, but what the consumer explicitly demands that it shall be. Thus the consumer consumes not things, but expected benefits – not cosmetics, but the satisfactions of the allurements they promise; not quarter inch drills, but quarter inch holes....
The significance of these distinctions is anything but trivial. Nobody knows this better, for example, than the creators of automobile ads. It is not the generic virtues they tout, but more likely the car’s capacity to enhance its user’s status (and sexuality).....
Whether we are aware of it or not, we in effect expect and demand that advertising create these symbols for us to show us what life might be, to bring the possibilities that we cannot see before our eyes and screen out the stark reality in which we must live.
Sterling Hayden
What does a man need – really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat, and shelter, six feet to lie down in – and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all – in a material sense. And we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention from the sheer idiocy of the charade.
What is your opinion of both viewpoints? Why?
Does marketing create "unnecessary" needs? Give examples.
“New products & services simplify our lives” vs. “New products & services complicate our lives” – give examples of both instances.
Based on your viewpoints, what implications does this have for you as a (1) marketer (business) and (2) consumer?
2. According to the American Marketing Association (AMA) Code of Ethics, a marketer’s conduct must be guided by the basic rule of professional ethics: not knowingly do harm. Should this rule of “not knowingly do harm” apply in all business decisions and conduct? (That is, should this rule be used as an absolute standard of right and wrong?) Why or why not? Give examples in your explanation.
6/15 (Thurs)Quiz 1 (Chapters 1-8)
Chapter 11 – Dealing with Competition
Chapter 12 – Setting Product Strategy
Question for Discussion
R. J. Reynolds, in an attempt to revitalize the Camel Filters cigarette ban, introduced an ad campaign in 1987 featuring the cartoon camel known as Old Joe. RJR executives openly admit picking a "spokesperson" with a contemporary image to attract younger customers, but the question many critics are raising is just how young. Three studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that Old Joe's audience is far too young, that recognition of the character is lower among adults than children, and that cartoon camel ads encourage children to smoke. Even though the sale of tobacco products is legal, is it ethical for a company to promote a product that kills about 400,000 people in the US annually? Is it ethical for RJR to use a promotional campaign that is so highly effective in reaching children?
DATETOPIC
(Week 3)
6/20 (Tues)Chapter 13 – Designing and Managing Services
Chapter 14 – Developing Pricing Strategies and Programs
Questions for Discussion
1. For more than 30 years, StarKist Seafood packaged 6 ½ ounces of tuna in its regular-sized can. During a period of inflation, the can’s weight was reduced by 3/8 ounce, but the price remained the same. Detecting this subtle change, which resulted in a 5.8 percent price increase, was a challenge for most consumers. The weight was clearly marked on the package, but the size of the can did not change. Was StarKist’s action ethical?
2. Hidden Hotel Charges!! - Major city hotels are infamous for their miscellaneous charges. Here are some examples: Phone: you can be charged an access fee even for toll-free calls. There may be additional charges after a certain length of time (a concern for those using laptop and modem). In Room Fax Machines: there's even a fee for turning it on! Early Check Out: many hotels charge you if you leave earlier than you planned. This fee can range from $25 to an entire night's rate. In Room Coffee Pot: yes, your first bag of coffee is free, but if you ask the staff to bring you more, there may be a charge. Parking: parking in the hotel is expensive enough, but some hotels don't allow you to get to your own car - and you're expected to tip! The hidden fees are not mentioned when the rates are advertised (e.g., internet). Your cost may be much higher than expected. Of course, if you negotiate with your manager ahead of time, the fees may be dropped. Otherwise, you pay! Is this practice ethical? Should this practice be regulated in some way? As a hotel manager, would you engage in this practice?
6/22 (Thurs)Quiz 2 (Chapters 9 -14)
Chapter 15 – Designing and Managing Value Networks and Channels
Chapter 16 – Managing Retailing, Wholesaling, and Logistics
Questions for Discussion
1. Wal-Mart notifies manufacturers that it will no longer deal with intermediaries. Its intentions are to deal directly with manufacturers. The move squeezes independent wholesalers and brokers out of the picture. Is this right? Why or why not?
2. The growth of suburban shopping malls and large chain stores has resulted in the decline of small independent retailers and downtown shopping activity. Ultimately, the unique “character” of small towns has died. Efforts are being made to revitalize downtown areas, although the costs to communities may be considerable. Some communities have blocked Wal-Mart from establishing its stores in their towns. Should efforts be made to curb the growth of shopping malls and large chain stores? Why or why not?
DATETOPIC
(Week 4)
6/27 (Tues)Chapter 17 – Designing and Managing Integrated Marketing Communications
Chapter 18 – Managing Mass Communications: Advertising, Sales Promotions, Events, and Public
Relations
Chapter 19 – Managing Personal Communications: Direct Marketing and Personal Selling
Questions for Discussion:
Credit-card debt among students is rising, and many more students are falling into financial ruin early in their lives from piling up debt with high interest rates. Some educators believe that colleges are partly responsible because they let credit card companies solicit students, giving them exclusive rights to market their services on campuses. Many students need to be educated about financial responsibility. On the other hand, students, as legal adults, have the right to own credit cards, and companies have a right to market to students. Are credit card companies unethical in aggressively targeting college students? Should their activities be regulated?
Universities market their services (e.g., committed teachers, state-the-art facilities, etc.) to attract prospective students and their parents. Many college brochures have pictures of a beautiful campus/buildings and comments from select students on the wonderful college life and classes. Prospective students are influenced by this marketing effort and choose a particular college only to be disappointed once they have enrolled. Should a university "advertise" its services to the public? If so, how?
6/29 (Thurs)Paper Due
Chapter 21 – Tapping into Global Markets
Chapter 22 – Managing a Holistic Marketing Organization
1. A US financial services company uses experienced staff to train foreign workers on the responsibilities of customer relations. Afterwards, the experienced staff loses their jobs to be replaced by the foreign workers they diligently trained.
2. Is it ethical for a company to engage in international trade with countries that violate human rights? Countries where bribes and corruption are common business practices? Give an example to support your answer
(Week 5)
7/44th of July – No Class!
7/6Final Exam – In Class
1