COURSE DESCRIPTION: To provide the students with
sound theory of marketing strategy, and present an opportunity in
integrating theory and practice through case studies and readings
of the marketing literature. Special emphasis will be placed on students'
developing ability to solve contemporary marketing problems in a global
competitive environment.
Required Text: Cravens, David and Piercy, Nigel,
Strategic Marketing (Eight Edition), Chicago, IL: McGraw-Hill Irwin
Co., 2006.
GRADING SYSTEM
The course grade will be determined by the total of the scores received
from the following items:
ITEMS __________WEIGHT
Research Project ____25.0%
Assignments _______20.0%
Test 1 ____________27.5%
Test 2 ____________27.5%
Total ____________100.0%
Students are expected to attend classes regularly and be prepared
to discuss the assigned materials.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED (TENTATIVE)
Ch 1- Market-Driven Strategy
Ch 2- Corporate, Business, and marketing Strategy
Ch 3- Markets and Competitive Space
Ch 4- Strategic Market Segmentation
Ch 5- Continuous Learning About Markets – Marketing Research
Ch 6- Target Marketing and Strategic Positioning
Ch 7- Strategic Relationships
Ch 8- Planning for New Products
Ch 9- Strategic Brand Management
Ch 10- Value Chain Strategy
Ch 11- Pricing Strategy and Management
Ch 12- Promotion, Advertising and Sales Promotion strategies
Ch 13- Sales Force, Internet and Direct Marketing Strategies
CASE STUDIES
Case 1-1 Nokia Corp.
Case 2-1 Wi-Fi
Case 2-2 Nike Inc.
Case 2-4 Johnson & Johnson
Case 3-1 Samsung Electronics (A)
Case 3-2 McDonald’s Corp.
Case 4-1 Planet Starbucks
Case 4-3 Dell Inc.
Case 6-1 Microsoft Corp.
Case 6-5 Toyota
Note: The professor reserves the right to make adjustments to this
syllabus as deemed necessary.
COMPETENCIES ___________________________Contact hours
The student will be introduced to:
Product life cycle stages - from new product development
to introduction and managing of products in an
organizational setting.__________________________________3
Customer decision making process_______________________ 3
The student will understand:
Competitive behavior including external environment of business__3
Development of innovative products and managing innovation____6
Product line management including marketing, production, and___ 3
economical considerations The student will be able to:
Apply marketing strategy formulation______________________ 6
Apply marketing research techniques for developing innovative___ 3
products and managing established products.
Apply market segmentation, new product positioning and_______ 3
repositioning of established products.
Develop marketing plans including worldwide corporate strategy__ 6
in a competitive setting.
Apply pricing, branding, promotional and distribution strategies___
6
In developing marketing plans
PROJECT GUIDELINES
The project should be around 15-25 pages. The professor must approve
all projects. Students need to submit proposals outlining what they
intend to do and how they will carry out the project.
There are three ways of approaching the project:
1) Conducting extensive literature review about a very specific topic
related marketing.
2) In addition to performing a literature review about a topic of
interest, primary or secondary data can be gathered to analyze the
topic. The second option is preferred, and can be accomplished with
ease if one utilizes the library resources and gets started very early
in the semester.
3) Performing a consulting project for a company with a specific marketing
problem (e.g., new product development and introduction). The students
must select companies. If you choose to do a consulting work for a
company, you may follow the outline for case analysis in writing your
report. However, some consulting projects may require gathering both
secondary and primary data. If so, this stage must be incorporated
into the project in addition to situation analysis.
If the first option is chosen, the topic selected should be examined
by reviewing journal articles and books, and the major findings or
proposals should be synthesized and integrated. For example a major
aspect of single subject may have been investigated by more than one
researcher and should be stated so in the paper (e.g. Based on the
findings of Demstez 1995; Kerin 1996; Webster 1985; Kumar 2005; and
Zigler et al. 2003, early market entry leads to higher market shares.
However, studies conducted by Brown 1995; Buzzel and May 2006, and
Kumar 2006, indicate that firms with very small market shares enjoy
higher than average profit margins). Similarly, opposing or concurring
views should be stated by indicating the source (s). Footnotes should
be used only when directly quoting a reference, and a complete bibliography
should be presented at the end of the paper. Journal of Marketing
(JM) writing style guidelines should be used as format. You may find
the guidelines in certain issues of the journal. Failure to follow
the JM writing style guidelines will result in loss of points. If
the literature review option is chosen, it is very important to have
a hypothesis in mind and organize the text by using major headings
and sub-headings.
The literature review format explained above should be utilized in
the second option as well. If you choose the second option, in addition
to the literature review, the paper will include the following:
I-HYPOTHESES
II-METHODOLOGY
A) Sample--the units (i.e. industries or companies used to gather
data)
B) Data Gathering Procedure--how and from where the data is gathered
III-RESULTS
Testing the hypotheses stated earlier by using appropriate statistical
techniques (i.e. frequencies, cross-tabulations, t-tests, correlation,
regression, ANOVA, or multivariate statistical techniques such as
factor or cluster analysis, and multidimensional scaling). I do not
expect that you will know all of these techniques and be able to apply
them, but I am willing to help! The findings should be presented by
using tables/charts, etc.
IV-LIMITATIONS --Write about the limitations of your study discussing
the reliability and validity of your study.
I-CONCLUSIONS or RECOMMENDATIONS
VI-FUTURE RESEARCH -- Suggest future research as appropriate.
NOTE: The use of library is a must in conducting the research
project!
CASE ANALYSIS & CONSULTING PROJECTS
Although, there are many ways of approaching case analysis and consulting
projects, I think the following guidelines will be helpful in performing
in-depth analysis:
I- Introduction and Problem Definition
Include Situation Analysis for projects
Include Methodology - if primary data is gathered
II-Weaknesses of the firm
III- Strengths of the firm
IV- Threats (i.e. Competitors, Government Regulations, Poor Economic
Conditions, etc.)
V- Opportunities (i.e. Unsatisfied Needs of the Customers)
VI- Alternatives (ways the firm can solve its problem(s))
VII-Recommendations
VIII- Implementation of the recommendations.
Note: The exhibits (DATA) presented in the cases
or secondary data gathered from library or other sources may be used
to perform statistical analysis to support the recommendations.
