Course Title:                GB 635 Current Issues in Marketing

 

Course Instructors:       Professor Jeffrey M. Wachtel, Ph. D. [email protected]

 

 

Course Description:

            A study of recent theoretical and empirical works in the field of marketing.  Selected readings in current periodicals and publications are chosen to deal with contemporary problems and issues in marketing.  Independent research, reports and discussion are utilized.

 

Course Objectives:

            On completion of this course, students will be able to achieve the following objectives commensurate with studies at the Master level:

1.       Know the current issues and latest published theoretical research, empirical research and practices affecting the marketing field.

2.       The ability to form opinion of and then to develop strategies to cope with opportunities and challenges posed by these issues.

3.       To have the ability to apply concepts and theories to real world marketing situations.

 

Course Delivery Style:

1.       Lecture, Power Point Presentations, Socratic Method, Videos and Brainstorming.

2.       Interactive discussion in large and small groups.

3.       Participation through presentation as a learning method.

4.       Team project preparation, investigation culminating in a team written report.

 

Recommended Readings:

q       To be handed out in class

q       Cases to be handed out in class

q       Web Sites, Newspaper, Business Magazines, Academic Journals

Course Structure:

 

 

Grading System:

Attendance*                                                     10%

Case Team Discussion/Presentation              10%

Individual Written Case and Questions           10%

Hot Topics                                                         10%

Current Issue Team Presentation                     30 %

Company Marketing Case   (Jan. 15, 2004)   30 %

                                                                        100 %

 

*Attendance at 80% of class time is required.  There is no make-up assignment for attendance.  Job responsibilities are not an excuse to miss class.  Please make appropriate arrangements with your employer that enable you attend all class sessions.  It has been said that 80% of success in life is just being there and, due to the amount of participation, it is particularly true of this class.

 

Case Team Discussion/Presentation: Teams will work on cases in class and be prepared to present their findings to the class.  You must be present and working actively to help your team with the case in order to receive this credit.  Help your team!  Please do not engage in “social loafing.”

 

 

 

Individual Written Case and Questions

Each person is to prepare a 1-2 (3) page “case study” of a current issue in marketing within Asia.    The case should also include a list of questions and provide your suggested answers on page 3.  Bring a copy for each student on your team for presentation December 13-14th and plan to help facilitate a 5 minute discussion of the situation using your case and case’s questions.

 

 

“Hot Topics” in Marketing (10%): The goal of this assignment is to be up to date with the current issues in marketing and relate the concepts you’ve learned to articles that you see in periodicals or on the internet.   Students will be responsible for bringing in a copy of an article, a summary or a recent publication on a current Marketing issue and providing a 2-5 minute presentation/discussion of the relevant issues to their team.  This is designed to give you an opportunity to read widely and keep everyone current on real world applications of the issues we discuss in class as well as to familiarize you with various marketing periodicals (including but not limited to The Bangkok Post, The Nation, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Journal of Marketing, Journal of Advertising, Marketing News, etc. or interviews with local business owners/managers). See additional sources below.  Be creative! We will hold these discussions either in the morning or afternoon sessions starting with the second day of class.  You should prepare one article for each day of class starting with our second day.  Your team will use the “nominal group technique” to rate the relevance, creativity and effectiveness of your presentation.  Please make copies for each person on your team and one copy to hand in.  Sorry, there is no make-up opportunity for this assignment.

Marketing Literature

            B2B (weekly)

            Advertising Age (w)

            CRM (m)

            Sales and Marketing Management

            American Demographics (m)

            E-Marketing (m)

            Inbound Logistics (m)

            Marketing News (bi-w)

            SAM (Sales, Advertising, Marketing)

            Journal of Marketing (q)

            Journal of Retailing (q)

 

Other Business Journals of interest

            Bangkok Post, The Nation, International Newspapers or news services accessed online (e.g.,  www.drudgereport.com has links to many international newpapers, columnists, as well as news services).

AWSJ

            Fortune

            Forbes

            Business Week

            HBR

            Fast Company

            Wired

            INC

            Business 2.0

            Business People

            Entrepreneur

            Smart Business

 

Current Issue Team Presentation:  25% + 5% Value Added Contribution= 30%

 

Working in teams, your team will present a seminar discussion on a current issue or topic in marketing.  The presentation will be based on independent research of library and other resource material.  A schedule and list of topics will be brainstormed on the first day of class.

 

Final Team Project (30%): An exciting (although demanding) part of this course will be a team project on international marketing issues.

Consider this statement by the Thai Government:

“New Markets for Thai Products: Statement of Thai Government Policy:

To broaden Thailand's export market, the DEP has provided support to private firms that wish to travel to negotiate trade deals and participate in trade fairs in new markets, numbering 141 countries in all. These new markets include Indochina, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, South Asia, Eastern Asia, and the Pacific Islands. The period of support for this project is 1999-2003. By the end of 2000, exports to new markets had increased to 30.2 percent of Thailand's total export volume. In support of this, the DEP encouraged two types of promotion, namely participation in overseas trade exhibitions and Thai trade delegations traveling abroad. As a result, Thai exporters took part in 431 overseas trade events and 170 trade delegations. These efforts were most successful in opening up the markets in the Middle East and Indochina.”

 Students are strongly encouraged to contact a company and make a report on one of the following topics:

·        Analyze current international marketing opportunities for the company you have picked. Find a country or region in which your client firm is not currently marketing and which presents the greatest opportunity for further expansion with an existing product/service according to your analysis. Develop a comprehensive marketing plan for entry in this country/region.

 

·        Analyze the introduction of a new product in a foreign country where the company is already present. Briefly discuss the global marketing strategy for this product, and develop a comprehensive marketing plan for the launch of this new product in that country.

·        Alternatively, teams may also examine the global marketing strategies for an industry / product, or they may do a thorough analysis of the process and requirements for marketing in a particular part of the world identified as new markets for Thailand.

·        Teams may also discuss global branding or global account management strategies for a company in one of the new markets.

Dates:

Last Class: - two-page progress report describing the topic, and providing a brief outline.

January 15, 2004 – Final Report not to exceed 15 pages of text excluding exhibits) which includes a: summary of the environment (cultural, economic, political and legal) for the country/region selected and a summary of  findings and recommendations (double spaced, reasonable font).

Main criteria for grading project:
· Is the marketing plan comprehensive?
· Is the paper well structured?
· Is the data used appropriate/ sufficient to support decisions? Does the paper clearly identify further data needs and suggest how this data can be gathered?
· Are recommendations appropriate?
· Is the paper clearly written?
· Does the paper cover the topics discussed in the class?

 

 

 

 

 

Revised as of November 16, 2004
 

 

Revised as of November 16, 2004