COURSE DESCRIPTION

Integration of all marketing elements in a strategic planning framework. Emphasis on areas of strategic importance, especially those which have significant implications and relevance for marketing policy decisions in competitive situations.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This course is concerned with strategic market management/strategic planning. The focus is on strategic decisions, decisions which have a long-term impact on the organization and which are difficult and costly to reverse. The strategic decision making process is supported by an external analysis (an analysis of the organization’s environment), and a self-analysis.

When you complete the course you should be able to:

1. Conduct the external and self-analyses that support the development of strategies.

2. Identify and address strategic questions like:

What environmental opportunities and threats do we face?

What are our organizational strengths, weaknesses and problems?

What are our strategic alternatives?

What business should we be in?

What are our long-term objectives?

What is our sustainable competitive advantage?

Should we diversify? How?

What growth directions are most attractive?

How should the organization’s resources be allocated?

What product markets are attractive to us?

3. Understand and work with a set of useful and important concepts such as mission, objective, strategic group, sustainable competitive strategy, risk, key success factor, strategic opportunity or threat, strategic strength, weakness or problem, strategic question, product market, segmentation, industry structure, positioning, experience curve, portfolio analysis and scenarios.

4. Use the computer as a communication, data gathering and data analysis tool

Important: Since I believe that education is more than just training a person for a specific job, I hope we can also learn to work cooperatively in teams; think more critically; communicate in different ways with all kinds of people; become active, responsible, life-long learners; and finally, experience the excitement of learning

 LEARNING PHILOSOPHY:

We are partners in our effort to help you learn how to learn and to help you discover that there is a lot of "learning territory" out there for you to explore. While I am anxious for you to achieve your academic potential, I can’t learn for you!!!! Only you can do that because you alone can take responsibility for your own education. I can be a coach and a resource, like a book or computer exercise, that is available to you to facilitate the learning process. But you must take responsibility for you learning by taking advantage of learning opportunities such as attending class, preparing for class, and joining into in-class and out-of-class discussions. Each of you has a set of texts and a set of assignments designed to provide a path for learning. UNC Charlotte has at least adequate library and computer resources. I am available in class, during office hours and other times, when prearranged. Your level of performance in the class and the resulting grade is dependent on how well you use the available resources and take responsibility for your learning.

OFFICE HOURS:

From January 16 - March 6:  Thursday 2:00pm - 6:00pm

From March 18 - May 1:  Tuesday/Thursday 11:00am - 12:30pm and Thursday 5:00pm - 6:00pm

If you cannot see me during these hours, please make an appointment for another time. If you think that you need help, you need to see me as soon as possible. Don’t wait.... I will be happy to meet with you at almost any time. You just need to make an appointment with me. If you prefer to reach me by telephone my number is 704-687-4414. Just leave a message on my voice mail if I am not in. I also have a mailbox across the hall from the Marketing Department office. You can leave messages or material for me there between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

E-mail is an even more convenient way to reach me.  The beauty of this system is that you can send me a message at any time. I usually check my messages at least a couple of times a day and will respond to you as soon as I get your message. Please use the WebCT email function to reach me.

PREREQUISITES:

MKTG 3110 (Marketing Concepts) with a C or better

Senior Class Rank

Working knowledge of (1) email and Internet browser, (2) a spreadsheet program (e.g. Excel, Lotus, etc.) and (3) PowerPoint Presentation Software.

TEXTS:

David W. Cravens, Charles W. Lamb, Jr., and Victoria L. Crittenden. Strategic Marketing Management Cases, 7th ed. (Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill), 2002. (CL&C)

Orville C. Walker, Harper W. Boyd, John Mullins and Jean-Claude Larreche. Marketing Strategy: Planning and Implementation, 4th ed. (Boston: Irwin McGraw-Hill), 2003. (WBM& L)

COURSE FORMAT:

The Marketing Strategy course will be conducted as a senior seminar. Unlike most previous courses you may have taken, the course will consist of little, if any, formal lecture. Rather, the course will be designed to maximize your learning through the application of marketing strategy concepts and the development of critical thinking. Comprehensive marketing strategy cases will be used to facilitate this type of learning.

Case analysis provides a major vehicle for applying marketing concepts and theories. Case analysis requires critical evaluation (including interpretation) of both facts and logic to allow effective case discussions. Cases also require that students be prepared and actively involved (communication) in class discussions. Cases allow us to learn, from written scenarios, about company situations and predicaments.

This format allows for maximum student involvement and interest. However, all students must be prepared for each class to make this form of learning work. My role is to ask questions that will help you generate ideas that lead to problem solutions. Your role is to identify problems, develop strategies, select strategies, plan for implementation through the integration of strategic methods and tools, think critically and ask me and, more importantly, ask your classmates questions. If you are prepared before class and participate during class you will be more likely to understand and be able to use the strategic planning process. If you are unwilling to take on these responsibilities you are probably wasting your time taking this class.

GRADING:

The final grade is determined as follows:

Two Written Case Abstracts	80 pts. (2 @ 40 pts. each)
Two Exams	120 pts. (2@ 60 pts each)
Team Case Analysis	80 pts.
Team Marketing Plan & Discussion	140 pts. (Written 115 pts. / Oral 25 pts.)
Class Participation	70 pts.
Other Written Assignments
Financial Analysis (Case 7-3)	10 pts.
TOTAL	500 pts.

A = 500 – 450 points / B = 449 – 400 points / C = 399 – 350 points / D = 349 – 300 points / F = < 300 points

Students are encouraged to discuss the cases with other students in the class. However the written abstracts and the financial analysis must be completed individually.  Students handing in identical or near identical abstracts will be considered in violation of the Academic Integrity Code.

Grades will be posted on WebCT as soon as they are available. Grades WILL NOT be given over the phone or in person during final exam week. 

ASSIGNMENTS:

Team Case Analysis

A team of four or five, self-selected students will be responsible for preparing and discussing one case during the semester. The case will be assigned during the first part of the semester.  The written case analysis should consist of a 5 page, typed "report to management" plus exhibits that follows the outline provided in the assignment section of WebCT. Your analysis will require you to go through the entire process of identifying (or diagnosing), evaluating, and recommending. Your report should summarize this analysis in a manner suitable for a top marketing management audience. It is highly recommended that you include appropriate charts, graphs and/or other visuals as exhibits to the report.  A SWOT analysis and financial ratios (if financial data is available)  should part of  the exhibits section.  At least two supportable alternatives should be developed for each case. These alternatives must be distinct such that multiple alternatives are NOT selected for implementation. Neither alternative should be merely a subset or component of the other.

In addition to the written case analysis, the team will be expected to make a significant contribution to the class discussion the day the case is discussed.  The team should have copies of their analysis on overheads or PowerPoint slides to aid their discussion.  The level of contribution by team members will be used to finalize the case analysis grade.

An outstanding team case analysis will meet four criteria:

1. focuses on analysis rather that restatement of facts (Analysis should be supported by spreadsheet/graphical analysis where appropriate). If there is numerical data in the case you must evaluate it. Analysis should also incorporate marketing strategy tools (e.g. product life cycle, SWOT, product/market matrix, BCG matrix, Porter's Five Forces, etc.)

2. well organized and well written

3. follows the Outline for Team Case Analysis (WebCT handout), Ten Commandments for Case Analysis ( WebCT handout), Case Preparation for Beginners (WebCT handout), and Appendix B in CL&C text.

4. uses appropriate charts, graphs and/or other visual aids for communication

Case Abstracts

Students will complete a two-page typed abstract analysis form (available on WebCT) plus a SWOT analysis for two of the eight cases discussed in class.  NO LATE ABSTRACTS ACCEPTED.  Abstract must be typed to be accepted.

Marketing Plan Report and Presentation

Each of the previously formed case teams will research, analyze, develop and present a marketing plan for a new product (conceptualized by the group) or for an existing organization. Additionally, teams are required to provide two plan updates during the semester. We will discuss the project thoroughly during the semester. Suggested web sites with planning information and sample plans as well as a marketing plan outline will be provided. It is imperative to begin the marketing plan at the beginning of the semester since industry and company research, as well as a lot of other work is required!

The team will receive one grade for the written and oral components of the marketing plan assignment. Individual grades will be based on the team grade, weighted by team members’ average assessment. Written Marketing Plan is due 4/24/03.

Group Member Evaluation

At the end of each of team assignments you will be asked to describe the role played by each of the members of your group (e.g., who did what in terms of organizing, leading discussions, sections, writing, etc.) and to provide an overall numerical assessment. A copy of the form to be used in this evaluation is available on WebCT.  This assessment will be used to determine individual team member grades.

Peer Evaluations

In addition, each student will be asked to evaluate other teams on their marketing plan presentations. A form is available on WebCT for peer assessment of the marketing plan presentations.

Class Participation

Class participation is an important element of case discussion. Learning depends heavily upon thorough and lively participation. The primary emphasis should be on quality participation, not quantity. The quality of participation is reflected in careful reading of cases and assigned material, thoughtful reflection, and clear and concise comments. However, one cannot make quality contributions without some quantity. It is particularly important that your comments fit into and build on previous comments. This requires that we all listen carefully to each other.

Class participation will be judged on the basis of quality and consistency of effort on a daily basis. Attendance is NOT participation. Each student can ascertain the adequacy of his/her participation by occasional discussion with the instructor. However, careful self-monitoring using the following criteria for effective classroom participation may be useful:

I expect you to be prepared (actively involved) for every class. Since I frequently call on individuals even when their hands are not raised, you should let me know before the start of class if some emergency has made it impossible for you to be prepared adequately for the class. Naturally, there are students who do not feel comfortable participating verbally in the classroom. We should all try to make the classroom atmosphere as congenial as possible to assist all of our colleagues in the participation process. Students are encouraged to meet regularly outside of class to discuss assignments before the class activity. Missed classes could affect (severely) your performance in the class. There is NO WAY TO MAKEUP "MISSED" PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES.

Exams

You are responsible for reading and studying the assigned material whether it is discussed in class or not. During the course of the semester you will be given two, in-class, multiple-choice exams.  These exams are closed-book, closed-note exams designed to test your reading comprehension and your ability to apply your knowledge of marketing strategy.  The material for the exams will come directly from the Walker, Boyd, Mullins, and Larreche text.  If you want to be an active participant in the class discussions, you must read the text assignments as well as prepare to discuss the cases.  These exams are the best way I have found, so far, to make sure that you are reading and studying the text material.

An optional, comprehensive final exam will be given during the specified final exam period.  This exam may be substituted for any one of the term exams.  Thus, this provision should take care of the need for a makeup exam during the semester.

ATTENDANCE:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:

OPTIONAL FINAL EXAM:  An optional, comprehensive final exam will be given during the specified final exam period.  This exam may be substituted for any ONE of the term exams.  Thus, the provision should take care of the need for makeup exams during the semester.  The exam date for the Optional Marketing Strategy Exam is Thurs. May 8 from 7:00pm - 10:00pm