MBA 706-41D: Marketing Management

Summer 2018 (May 7 – June 18) Online Graduate Course

Professor: Dr. Merlyn Griffiths

Office location: 353 BRYAN
Office: 334-4472
E-mail: [email protected] (most efficient means of contact)

*This syllabus is binding and will not change without notice sent to the entire class through the Canvas system*
Required Text Marketing Management, 15th Edition by Kotler and Keller
ISBN- 9780133856460
Publisher: Pearson
Catalog Course Description: Issues related to the marketing process, major trends and forces that are
changing the marketing landscape, marketing information, building and managing brands, marketing
strategy and roles of ethics in marketing.

Marketing is not just selling or advertising. Rather, it is the business function that deals with customers' needs and
wants. Marketing management help companies to understand customer preferences, link that knowledge to designing
appropriate products and services for selected customers, and determine appropriate methods to communicate, to
capture, and to deliver value. The marketing management process is important at all levels of the organization,
regardless of the title applied to the activity. Keep in mind that effective marketing management results not only from
simply internalizing marketing facts and institutional detail, but also from systematic critical thinking and the reasoned
application of several general principles. With this in mind, the objectives and outcomes of the course are as follows:

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

At the completion of the course, students will be able to:

1) Demonstrate an understanding of marketing and the marketing process.

2) Identify the major trends and forces that are changing the marketing landscape.
3) Locate, interpret, and evaluate marketing information for decision making.
4) Evaluate the obstacles and challenges in building and managing brands
5) Analyze the changes in marketing strategies during the product’s life cycle.
6) Evaluate the internal and external forces that influence an organization’s marketing strategy.
7) Assess the attractiveness of a market segment.
8) Evaluate the roles of ethics in marketing activities.
9) Apply the tools and concepts learned in the course to develop a customer-driven marketing strategy and mix.

CRITICAL NOTE: This is an intensive course and requires a significant amount of work. We cover in
6 sessions, the same material that is typically covered in a 14-15-week semester. As such, to be successful
in this course, you must schedule sufficient time to read the materials, complete the assignments every
week and work with your team on the project. If you are not able to commit the required time, please
consider taking the course during the regular semester.

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 COMMUNICATION

All communications will be sent through the Canvas LMS. Communications being sent to all registered
students will address: “Class.” In your communications to me, you may address me as Dr. G; Professor G;
Dr. Griffiths, Professor Griffiths; Prof. G. any of these will be fine.

Email communications: I will respond to emails in a timely manner – usually within 24 hours (weekdays,
but may be longer on the weekend). If I initiate an email to you, I will use your email address associated with
your name in Canvas, so be sure to check that account often.
COURSE DESIGN

All sessions run on a Monday to Sunday schedule. New sessions begin on Monday at
5:00am and end on Sunday at 11:59pm. These are in the “Modules” tab on the course site.

To accomplish the objectives, we will use a combination of lectures, video case study with discussions,
and readings.
The course is designed as an introductory survey of marketing topics that will introduce you to the theories,
terminology and frameworks of marketing. The course has two parts: a strategic portion and a tactical portion.
➢ Strategic: The strategic portion focuses on identifying organizational competencies and using these
competencies to analyze industries and identify target markets.

➢ Tactical: The tactical portion of the course reviews the methods that firms can use to optimize their
profits in the markets that they choose to target. Topics covered in the tactical portion include product
pricing, promotion, and distribution issues.

Lectures: Lectures will focus on principles, theories and applications. Included in the lecture are video cases
and clips that allow you to gain a more in-depth understanding of course concepts and their applicability to the
marketplace. Video cases are “case-in-point” examples to highlight practice and application of the concepts
and frameworks discussed in our readings and lectures. At the end of these cases, you may be required engage
in a discussion of the topics from the readings, lecture video case. Articles and other readings may also be
posted in the respective modules. Not all chapters in the text will be covered.

Evaluation and Grading Policy

Grading Scale
1. Discussion Participation 15% A 94-100
2. Weekly Quizzes 25% A- 90-93
3. Team Product Launch Analysis 30% B+ 86-89
B 82-85
Report 15%
Peer evaluation 15% B- 78-82
C 70-77
4. Final Exam 30% F < 70
Total 100%

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Grades are non-negotiable and final grades can only be changed to correct calculation or input errors on my
part. If you have questions as to the validity of a grade this must be brought to my attention in writing within
one (1) week of the day/date the grade is posted.

Grades WILL NOT be determined by a standard bell curve whereby the majority of the class receives a ‘C’
and the minority receives otherwise. Rather, grades will strictly depend on the number of points accumulated
relative to the total number of points allotted in the course.

**Note: All submitted work will be checked for plagiarism. To avoid discrepancies, be sure to cite
appropriately works of others that you are referencing. For details on what constitutes plagiarism, please visit
http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu/ and see further details below.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Modules:
Each module will open at 5AM on Monday morning and close at 11:59pm on Sunday night. The content for
each module is not available before the beginning of the week. Lecture content (e.g., videos, etc.) will remain
available after the module has ended for later review as needed. Video cases are included as either MP4 or
hyperlinks within the lecture slides.

Virtual Class Meeting:

Each week we will meet via WebEx in Canvas. Meetings are scheduled for 1-hour on a Tuesday or
Wednesday and will consist of short lecture and answering your specific questions. Attendance, though not
mandatory is strongly encouraged. Meetings may be recorded and posted for later view, but not guaranteed.

Discussion Participation: 15%

Much learning can be gained as you share your experiences, questions and analyses with each other.
Participation in the discussions is mandatory, and requires thoughtful/ thought provoking engagement, rather
than superficial commentary.

Weekly discussion forums are offered on specific topics. You are expected to post your response to the
issues or scenarios posed and respond to a minimum 2 posts made by your classmates by Thursday. You
must post first before you can see the posts of others. In other words, you will not see the posts of others
until you have posted your original thoughts on the topic. The objective is to enhance the conversation and
bring further insight to the subject at hand. Try to synthesize the collected wisdom from the class in a way
that makes sense to you. Contribute those ideas and others will add their thoughts. The discussions are
contained within each Module. While the Module runs Monday 5:00AM – Sunday 11:59PM, discussion
posts are due on Thursday by 11:59pm.

Quizzes: 25%

Five (5) weekly quizzes will focus on all or some the materials for the respective week, including readings,
lectures and videos (ads & cases) within that module. The format may include true/false, multiple choice or
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short answer essay. Quizzes can be found within each session module and must be completed before
11:59pm on Sunday unless otherwise noted. Correct quiz answers are available at 5am on Monday
following the expiration of the deadline.

Accessing the Quiz: You will find the quizzes on Canvas. To access Quiz 1, go to “Modules” ->
“Session 1”-> “Quiz 1.” Follow a similar procedure for other quizzes.

Taking the Quiz: You can take each quiz ONE time only. There will be no additional quiz-taking
opportunities. If you miss a quiz, your score for that particular quiz will be 0. If you know that you
cannot take a quiz in the latter part of the week, study ahead and take it early in the respective
week.

Final Exam: 30%

The objective of the exam is to ensure that you understand the core concepts. Exams include 50-80% of
material from the textbook and lectures. Therefore, if you do not read the book and complete the weekly
assignments, it will be difficult to pass the exam and subsequently, the course. Be aware that questions are
essentially of two types: (1) purely informational questions and, (2) diagnostic questions. The purely
informational questions require less thought, as they merely test your exposure to, and memory of the
material. Diagnostic questions, however, often cause some degree of discomfort for those who are not
accustomed to them. Their purpose is to determine whether you have learned the material adequately to be
able to recognize its applicability in a given situation. These questions ask you to search your memory banks
to determine what you have learned that is useful and appropriate to apply to the situation with which you are
faced.

Testing Procedures to be followed: Final exam is available in the Canvas course site, during the assigned test
times. You can take the exam only ONE time. Once you open the exam, you must complete it in its entirety.
If you close your computer without finishing the exam your time on the clock will continue to run and Canvas
will submit your exam once the allotted time has been exhausted, even if you are not finished. In other words,
you cannot start and stop or open/close. Once opened, it must be completed at that time. The exam will not be
reopened after the set time for any reason. If computer glitches, a screen shot of your computer must be emailed
to me immediately, and an assessment of the situation will be made at that time.

Important: Do not log in and out of the exam after you have started the exam. If you do, the timer will keep
running and the time will be counted towards your exam attempt, even if you were logged out of the exam/out
of Canvas.

Canvas will force you to submit the test when the deadline is due, even if your test is not complete. Thus, if
you want to have the full allotted time in the test, you should begin your exam attempt at least two hours prior
to the end of the exam availability period.

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Teams Analysis Project 30%

Team Assignment: Teams are formed at the beginning of the course. You will self-enroll in a team.
How to: In Canvas, click on “People” then “Groups” and then “Marketing Project Team” Add yourself to one of
the teams. Maximum of 6 persons per team, and no less than 4 persons to a team. Teams MUST be formed by
Saturday May 12th by 11:59pm.
For further details on how to join a group:
https://support.rowanonline.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/325/0/how-do-i-join-self-sign-up-a-
group-in-canvas
You are responsible for coordinating with your classmates to form teams. Each team will have full online work
capabilities including virtual classroom and discussion through Canvas.

Team Project: Each team will research and analyze a recent product launch (within the last 12-18 months).
Further details of the product launch assignment will be distributed.

Submission of Team Assignment: The team’s completed analysis must be uploaded in Canvas in Microsoft
Word format ONLY on the due date indicated. Do not upload PDF, or Google Drive/share links, or any
other formats. The only accepted format is a Word document. Only ONE PERSON from each team will
upload the final document. In other words, a single team document is to be uploaded by a single member of
the team.

The maximum length is 20 pages, of text (double spaced, 12-point font) not including tables and
appendices. To be fair to all teams, I will not read or grade beyond 20 pages. The work must be accurately
cited with corresponding reference in APA style.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Wikipedia is NOT a credible source and should not be included or cited under
any circumstance.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In the schedule below, you will note some chapters to be “skimmed,” these chapters
as well as other chapters not covered in the text, can be referenced in helping you understand different aspect
of the analysis.

Some suggestions to increase the probability of generating a very good analysis are:
1. Start early!
2. Attempt to develop some structure before collecting information. Be flexible in your sources of
information. Discussions with key executives, current and potential customers, competitors, published
information from public sources and the company, personal observations, etc. are all feasible options.
3. Follow the specific instructions given in the assignment document to ensure your analysis contains the
required content.
As you can tell, this type of analysis cannot be meaningfully completed in the last week of class. Be cognizant of
the calendar; recognize that a product launch analysis requires plenty of time and research.
Since we meet in only 6 sessions, communicating/meeting with your team members will require extensive use of
technology. This is strongly recommended. Discussion board, email access, virtual classroom and file sharing
will be available for each team via Canvas once your teams are formed.

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* If there are questions regarding the project, please email me early. Don’t wait until the last week when it’s too
late to seek help.
Contribution of Team Members

The business workplace is a social environment where you must work with others to achieve the goals and
objectives of the entire organization. Therefore, 50% of an individual’s project grade will be based on the
work produced. In other words, 50% of YOUR project grade is in the hands of your peers (team members).

❖ Peer Evaluation: Each member of the project teams will provide evaluative feedback on the performance
of each individual team member. You will give yourself a rating and provide comments on the
contributions each member (including yourself) made toward the successful completion of the project.
The ratings provided by each team member will be taken into account in the final calculation of the
individual’s total project participation and contribution grade. The onus is on you to contribute 100%
toward the success of the project and to work well with your team members.
The peer evaluation form is available via Canvas and must be completed and uploaded into Canvas
by 11:59pm on Sunday June 10th.

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK: CANVAS

All written assignments should be turned in by the respective due dates by uploading it into Canvas. All
documents must be in Microsoft word format only. Do not load pdf files, Google drive or
shared links. Be sure to verify that you have correctly submitted your document. Late submissions
will not be graded.
Technical Difficulties

Technical problems are not acceptable reasons for missing a quiz, exam or completing an individual or
team assignment. If you experience technical difficulties, contact 6-TECH Service Center
at [email protected] or call 336.256.TECH (8324). Be sure to report it to me immediately with
accompanying evidence (e.g. a screenshot). Any technical problems reported after the
expiration of the deadline will not be considered and are not valid excuses for not
completing an assignment. However, situational circumstances like “verifiable computer glitches”
which results in LATE SUBMISSION may be accepted with a grade penalty.

Time Management
It is imperative that you manage your time to ensure that you complete the required assignment by the
appointed due dates. It is unwise to wait until the last minute to begin an assignment. Starting ahead of time
will allow you to manage any technical or personal issues that may arise in a timely manner and still meet the
required deadlines. Any technical problems reported AFTER the deadline of an assignment due date will not
be considered.

NOTE: As a student taking an online course, it is your responsibility to make sure that you have access
to a reliable computer and a reliable internet connection during the entire duration of the course.
Inability to access a computer or internet at any time during the course is not an acceptable excuse for

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not completing an assignment. UNCG has several computer labs available for students and public
libraries offer internet access free of charge.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Academic Integrity Policy:

Students are expected to adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy on all assignments and tests. The
syllabus will provide a link to the complete description of the Academic Integrity Policy as found in
the UNCG Graduate Bulletin. http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu/complete/

Expectations of Students
Students in the Bryan School are also expected to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct. Further
details may be found at http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu/complete/ and
http://studentconduct.uncg.edu/policy/code/. The Bryan School has additional expectations and
guidelines for students to follow which can be found at
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/faculty_student_guidelines.pdf.

Expectations of Faculty
The Bryan School expects its faculty to conform to all existing UNCG codes and policies. These are
found at http://provost.uncg.edu/faculty/h_section4.asp. In addition, the Bryan School has
expectations and guidelines for faculty to follow which can be found at
http://www.uncg.edu/bae/faculty_student_guidelines.pdf.

Note that occasionally, changes in the schedule of the course may be necessary. These changes will be
announced via Canvas email. Equally, materials may be added to increase your knowledge and efficiency in
a particular subject area, as well as articles to read in preparation for the next module. It is your responsibility
to connect with CANVAS to stay abreast of changes, additional material, etc.

Special Accommodations
Students registered with OARS (Office of Accessibility, Resources and Service) can receive
accommodations. Please provide me with the accommodations documentation from OARS by Wednesday of
the first week of class. (See: https://ods.uncg.edu/student-services/register/)

No other accommodations will be made. If you must travel or have other plans, the onus is on you
to complete the required work before the deadline/due date. Weekly sessions/modules, assignments, quizzes,
or exam, will not open earlier than designated and will not reopen once closed. Please plan your schedule
accordingly.

Sessions: All sessions run on a Monday to Sunday schedule. New sessions begin on
Monday at 5:00am and end on Sunday at 11:59pm. The following highlights the sessions,
dates and, coverage content. No changes will be made to this schedule. However, in the
event a change is necessary, written notice will be sent to the class via email.

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 Weekly Schedule
Module: Session 1 May 7 - May 13
Focus Understanding Marketing Management

Virtual Class When: Tuesday 5/8 Time: 5:30-6:30pm Location: WebEx

Meeting
Readings Ch 1: Defining Marketing for Ch 2: Developing Marketing Strategies and Plans
the New Realities
Explore in Your 1. Why is marketing important?
Readings 2. Does marketing create or satisfy needs?
3. What is marketed?
4. How does marketing affect customer value?
5. How is strategic planning carried out at different levels of the organization?
Activities Discussion 1: Post by Thursday 11:59pm
Lecture 1 Visit http://www.toms.com/ Quiz 1
Review the company’s site.
Video Case 1. Do you feel that the company is responding to 25 Questions
the changes in marketing today, namely, 45 Minutes
societal marketing? If so, how? If not, what’s
missing?
2. What did you find there of particular interest
to you?
3. What conclusions can you draw from Tom’s
strategic marketing approach?
Items Due When: Thursday 5/10 What: Complete your profile including
picture in Canvas
Items Due When: Saturday 5/12 What: Teams must be formed by Max 6 per team
11:59pm. Min 4 per team

Module: Session 2 May 14 - May 20

Focus Capturing Market Insight
Virtual Class When: Wednesday 5/16 Time: 5:30-6:30pm Location: WebEx
Meeting
Readings Ch 3: Collecting Ch4: Conducting Marketing Research Ch 5: Creating Long
Information and Forecasting Term Loyalty
Demand Relationships (Skim
only)
Explore in Your 1. What are the components of a modern marketing information system?
Readings 2. What constitutes good marketing research?
3. What are some influential macro-environment developments?
Activities Discussion 2: Post by Thursday11:59pm
Lecture 2 Watch: Generation Y Entitled? Quiz 2
Watch: Gen Z
Video Case Do marketers need to create separate 25 Questions
products and marketing products for each 45 Minutes
generation
Items Due When: Fri 5/18 @ What: Team selection for product 1-page, uploaded by 1
11:59pm launch analysis & rationale for team member. Word file
selection. only.

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Module: Session 3 May 21 - May 27

Focus Connecting with Customers

Virtual Class Meeting When: Wednesday Time: 5:30-6:30pm Location: WebEx
5/23
Readings Ch 6: Analyzing Ch: 7 Analyzing Business Markets Ch: 9 Identifying Market
Consumer Markets Segments and Targets
Explore in Your 1. How do consumer characteristics influence buying behavior?
Readings 2. What are the requirements for effective segmentation for B2C and B2B?
3. How should a company choose the most attractive target markets?

Activities Discussion 3: Post by Thursday

Lecture 3 11:59pm Quiz 3
Watch: Frankenfish
Video Case What political and regulatory 25 Questions
implications do you see here? 45 Minutes

Which target markets are likely to

be most vs. least receptive of this
product?

Watch: Roll Baby Roll

Who is the ad designed to appeal
to? Explain your rationale.

Module: Session 4 May 28 – Jun 3

Focus Shaping the Market and Building Brand Equity

Virtual Class Meeting When: Tuesday 5/29 Time: 5:30-6:30pm Location: WebEx
Readings Ch 11: Creating Brand Ch 13: Setting Product Strategy Ch 16: Developing
Equity Pricing Strategies
and programs
Explore in Your 1) What is brand equity? How is brand equity built, measured, and managed?
Readings 2) How can companies combine products to create strong co-brands or ingredient
brands?
3) How do consumers process and evaluate prices?
Activities Discussion: Post by Thursday
Lecture 4 11:59pm Quiz 4
Brand Valuation: Compare the top 5
Video Case companies listed for BrandZ and 25 Questions
Interbrand. In your opinion, which 45 Minutes
ranking do you most agree with?
Explain why.

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Module: Session 5 June 4 – June 10

Focus Delivering Value

Virtual Class Meeting When: Tuesday 6/5 Time: 5:30-6:30pm Location: WebEx
Readings Ch: 17 Designing and Ch: 18 Managing Retailing,
Managing Integrated Wholesaling and Logistics
Marketing Channels
Explore in Your 1. What is a marketing channel system and a value network?
Readings 2. What decisions companies face in managing their channels?
3. What major types of marketing intermediaries occupy this sector?
4. What are the major trends with marketing intermediaries?
Activities Discussion: Post by Thursday
Lecture 5 11:59pm Quiz 5
Take a position -Pro or Con:
Does It Matter Where You Sell? 25 Questions
Video Case Channel images do not really affect the 45 Minutes
brand images of the products they sell
that much, versus channel images must
be consistent with the brand image.
Items Due When: Fri June 8 What: Product Launch Time: 11:59pm
Analysis
Items Due When: Sun June 10 What: Peer Evaluation for Time: 11:59pm
Team project

Module: Session 6 Jun 11 – Jun 17

Focus Communicating Value
Virtual Class Meeting When: Tuesday 6/12 Time: 5:30-6:30pm Location: WebEx
Readings Ch: 19 Designing and Ch 21 Managing Digital Aral, Sinan, (2014) “The
managing Integrated Communications Online, Problem with Online
Marketing Social Media and Mobile Ratings,” MIT Sloan
Communications Management Review,
Winter, pp. 47–52.
Explore in Your 1. What is the communications mix and how should it be set?
Readings 2. What is an integrated marketing communications program?
3. What steps are required in developing an advertising program?
Activities Discussion: Post by
Lecture 6 Thursday 11:59pm Final Exam opens
Video Case What does a company gain by
with the beginning
Exam: Covers all having a Facebook page or of the Module
chapters except “Skim” advertising through Facebook?

What would you think if a

brand or company were not on
Facebook?
Due: All outstanding items must be submitted by ll:59pm on 6/17

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