MKT 650 Marketing Strategy

Prerequisite: Mkt 311 or equivalant and graduate student standing

 

Instructor: Dr. Fahri Karakaya
Office: CCB, 329
E-Mail: f1karakaya@Umassd.edu
Phone: 8745
Office Hours: T-Th 1-2 P.M and F 2-3 P.M.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Study of the conceptual foundations and practices of contemporary marketing as well as the planning, implementation, and control of the marketing function. Topics include situation analysis; marketing objectives; target market selection; and product, promotion, pricing, and physical distribution decisions.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
After successful completion of this course, a student should be capable of:
1. Recognizing and responding to those factors within a global environment which influence the success and failure of marketing programs
2. Identifying opportunities that exist in the environments within which the organization operates
3. Recognizing the resources that are required to create successful programs
4. Understanding the process by which resources are converted into actionable programs
5. Creating integrative programs to respond to market opportunities
6. Adjusting to dramatic and rapid changes in the external environment of an organization
7. Incorporating uncertainty into decision making, strategy creation and strategy implementation
8. Identifying and dealing with ethical considerations in an effective and proper manner.
9. Understanding and incorporating customer needs into the framework of strategic planning and tactical implementation.
10. Ability to write comprehensive marketing plan.

 

TEXTS/READING MATERIALS:
Cravens, David and Piercy, Nigel, Strategic Marketing (Ninth Edition), Chicago, IL: McGraw-Hill Irwin Co., 2009. (required) ISBN-13 9780073381008GRADING:

 

GRADING:

 

Case analysis and presentations 20%

Online postings in the discussion area (web) 10%
Group project 20%

Final exam 50%

RESEARCH PROJECT:

Each team will be required to prepare a critical evaluation of the marketing program of their selected organization (a local organization that you can meet and get information from) and develop a marketing plan. The evaluation will include a SWOT analysis of the organization and its marketing environment. A review of past performance, current performance, and projections of future performance must be included in the analysis. Additionally, the analysis will identify significant trends and events that may impact the organization and its future. Marketing strategies, including product mix, branding strategy, communications strategies, and positioning will be included in the evaluation and development of a marketing plan. In assessing future performance, existing and potential competition must also be evaluated, especially as they impact the organizations existing and future customers. Recommendations for marketing programs are to be developed as thought they were presented to management of the organization.

 

CASE ANALYSIS:

Each student team will be assigned to two cases and will present their analyses in class. Teams will have a maximum of 30 minutes to provide the class the salient facts, their analysis of the situation, and their recommendations for action. The case analyses will be evaluated based on the rigor of analysis, the clarity of thought, the appropriateness of recommendations. Teams will submit a 5 page typed report (double spaced – 12 pt times roman font – 1 inch margins) and a PDF file of their PowerPoint slides in a handout format (6 slides per page).

 

Case Analysis and Preparation Suggestions:
A case portrays an actual strategy situation. It provides a scenario for use in strategy diagnosis and strategy choice. Cases serve three important teaching/learning objectives:
1. They offer an opportunity to diagnosis an organization’s business and marketing strategies. Based on the analysis you then develop strategy recommendations.
2. Each case offers an interesting marketplace situation for learning and applying the strategy concepts and decision-making processes developed in the course.
3. Presentation of the case helps to improve your analysis skills in preparing and presenting management briefings.Below is a detailed suggested outline for preparing cases:
1. Brief summary of the case – history and definition of problem(s)
2. SWOT Analysis – Company strengths (e.g., company resources), weaknesses (e.g., lack of resources, threats (e.g., poor economic conditions, competition), and opportunities (e.g., entry into new markets, development of new products)
3. Summary of the decision situation – problems surrounding the company – If there is no problem, then focus on the future – where does the company go from here?
4. Alternatives – What are the alternative ways of solving the company problems – If there is no problem, then what should the company do to improve and maintain its current market position? What does the company need to do to solve their
5. Key decision criteria used to evaluate each alternative – What do you base your decisions on? Return on investment? Gaining market share, increasing or maintaining sales? And others?
6. Comprehensive analysis of each alternative using the decision criteria – Analyze each alternative using the decision criteria identified in item 5. This can be done in combination with item 5.
7. Recommendations including implementing guidelines – What do you recommend to management of the company? And why – this would be identified in item 6. How can the company implement your recommendation(s)? What kind of resource do they need? Time-table? – Be realistic!
Note: The above may not apply to every case and is provided as a guideline.All students are responsible for reading each case to discuss in class. Only those groups presenting the cases will turn in a 5 page written group report and a copy of their presentation slides (6 slides per page).
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: 6-5 Toyota
Case: 1-1 Audi
Case: 6-25 Cima Mountaineering
Case: 2-2 Ikea
Case: 6-17 Proctor & Gamble
Case: 6-14 L’Oreal Nederland B.V.
Case: 6-15 ESPN
Case: 6-10 Blair Water Purifiers India
Case: 6-11 Murphy Brewery Ireland
Case: 6-6 Coca-Cola
Case: 6-4 Slendertone
Case: 6-18 Amazon.com

 

Suggested Texts/Readings
Hartley, Robert, Marketing Mistakes and Successes, 10ed., (Wiley), 2008
Kottler, Philip, Ten Deadly Marketing Sins, (John Wiley), 2005
Marketing 2010/2011: Annual Editions, (McGraw Hill)
Wood, Marian, The Marketing Plan: A Handbook, (Prentice Hall), 2007

 

Journals/Periodicals
Harvard Business Review
Journal of Marketing
Sloan Management Review
Marketing News
Journal of Industrial and Business Marketing
Journal of Consumer Marketing
Journal of International Marketing Research
The professor reserves the right to make modifications to this syllabus as deemed necessary.