Course Syllabus

Course Information
MKT 6301 –Marketing Management Fall 2008
Thursday 7:00 pm to 9:45 pm
Room: SOM2.803

Professor Contact Information

Alexander Edsel
Phone: 972-883-5940
Alexander.Edsel@utdallas.edu
Office: Office 3.814
Office Hours: by appointment

Course Pre-requisites: None

Course Description
The Marketing Management course emphasizes marketing research, pricing, segmentation, positioning and integrated
planning. The topics to be covered include marketing management, buyer behavior, internet marketing, product
management, distribution, sales management, promotion, advertising, competitive strategy, ethics and marketing research.
In all these areas, the emphasis is on the use of analysis of facts and data. The course makes extensive use of real world
scenarios and break out sessions to cover the day’s lectures. Exams will test application of principles to decision situations.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Objectives/Goals:
• Master fundamental management knowledge
• Master the principles, ethics and techniques of Marketing

This course introduces the fundamentals of marketing through a series of decision problems encountered by marketing
managers. There are three key elements of instruction:
1. Learning by doing: You will either select a new product idea and develop a marketing plan for it or develop a
marketing plan to improve the marketing operations of an existing company.
2. Learning through lectures, discussions and solving scenarios for each lecture.
3. Learning through case studies and breakout sessions.

The following are the outcomes expected:

• Develop an overall understanding of the principles of marketing, in the significant areas of product management,
pricing, promotions, distribution, consumer behavior, etc.
• Demonstrate the ability to solve numerical problems in the areas of break-even analysis, price elasticity, market
research, media planning, etc.
• Show the ability to apply marketing principles to business settings, such as analyzing the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats facing the strategic business unit, explaining with examples how marketing actions can
influence the consumer decision making process, etc.
• Recognize, evaluate and implement ethical and legal constraints when making marketing decisions.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Marketing Management by Philip Kotler, 12th edition, Prentice Hall, Inc.
Six (6) Case Studies available at UTD and Off Campus Bookstore

Course Syllabus Page 1

 Assignments & Academic Calendar
(Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates)

No. Date Topic Chapters Assignments

1 August 21st Syllabus Overview-course expectations 1 (skim), Form groups

Introduction: Marketing Principles and 2 and 5
Planning, Key Information, Strategy
formulation, 4’ps, SWOT analysis
Retention, Re-activation, Loyalty Metrics-
driven
2 August 28th Market Research: quantitative and 3 -4 Cases and presentation dates will
qualitative. Demand Forecasting be assigned

3 September 4th Consumer & Business Buying Behavior: 6&7

including ethnic/multi-cultural marketing
4 September 11th Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning 8 & 10

5 September 18th Branding & Competition 9 & 11 Group 1 The Fashion Channel

6 September 25h Product & Services Management: new 12 & 13 Group 2 ThoughtWorks
product launches, lifecycle mgt, divestment

7 October 2nd Pricing, Ethical & legal issues: part one 14 Group 3 Sunrise Medical

8 October 9h Pricing, Ethical & legal issues: part 2 14

Midterm exam ( no make-ups)
9 October 16th Sales & Channels (Internet, Mail, Retail; 15 and 16 Group 4 Colgate Palmolive
Direct, Indirect. Mixed)

10 October 23nd Advertising and PR 17 Group 5 Rohm & Haas

11 October 30th Direct Marketing, Internet Marketing 18, 19 Group 6 Sunrise Medical
(email, SEM, SEO, organic, paid, surveys,
rich media)
12 November 6th Introducing New Products 20 Open
13 November 13th International marketing 21 Start Project Presentations

14 November 20th Project Presentations (turn in written Project Presentation written and
presentation-oral presentation to class) oral continued. Turn in Project
Peer Review Evaluations
15 November 27th Thanksgiving Holiday- No Class
16 December 4th Project Presentations continued (turn in Project Presentation written and
written presentation-oral presentation to oral continued. Turn in Project
class) Peer Review Evaluations

17 December 11th Final Exam

Course Syllabus Page 2

Cases:
Each group will submit one written case report 6-8 pages long and make an oral presentation (app. 15-20 minutes) to the
class. I will facilitate any necessary media (overhead projector). Case reports are due at the beginning of class regardless of
whether you attend class. Late reports will NOT be accepted. A marketing vice president informed one of our faculty
members that professors do a major disservice to the business community by accepting late assignments. In the real world,
missing a deadline means a lost account or business.

Final Project
Each group will complete a written group project and make an oral presentation (app. 20-30 minutes) to the class. The Final
project will evaluate how well you have learned and applied the principles of marketing. The project can consist of either:
1. A new product or service (you selected/invented) and developing a marketing plan for that, or
2. Improving the marketing of a real company by improving current marketing (a marketing plan must be built around this)
You may also suggest a new product or service if reasonable.

At the beginning of the course, if there are volunteer companies available I will profile them. Students are allowed to join
the team of their choice with exceptions made based on the need to maintain size minimums and maximums. The process
for assigning volunteer companies or allowing the group to choose a new product/service will be explained in class.

Objective of using volunteer companies:

a) For the Company: help improve one or more key (marketing driven) areas such as their revenues, growth (profitable),
new product/service ideas, customer satisfaction, sales, retention, etc
b) For Students: real-world scenario, providing valuable experience in working with teams and company sponsors

What not to do with volunteer companies: do not get involved in any manufacturing, logistical, financial or HR issues. Do
not ask for proprietary or confidential information. Dress and behave in a professional manner. Please do NOT offer the
company advice until after the class presentation has been made. In your paper you must also qualify your suggestions due
to their limited scope in terms of both time & data analyzed.

Length: No more than 8-10 pages + another 3-5 pages with market research results, metrics, etc See page 60-67 of Kotler’s
book for content of a Marketing Plan

Project: Evaluation of the Presentation . Suggestions:

Content:
Was the market, product, competition and/or company analyzed thoroughly?
Have key concepts of marketing been applied?
If Instructor highlighted something as relevant for your project, was this included?
Has every key and relevant area of a marketing plan been incorporated or addressed?
Gaps, alternatives, key issues not covered?
Have the recommendations been compared against alternative courses of action? Realistic?
Are the metrics well chosen and achievable?

Presentation:
Was the presentation interesting and engaging ?
Confidence of the speakers - relaxed. Clarity of the talk -speed, loudness
Were the visuals presented clearly? And does written & oral presentation match?
Was a clear conclusion provided?
The company sponsors, when applicable, will also provide a confidential evaluation of the group

Course Syllabus Page 3

Grading Policy

A. Overall course grade will be determined by your performance on case reports, scores on examinations, project and
class participation. The weight given to each of the activities is given below.

Activity Weight
1. Attendance & participation in class. 10%
Only one excused absence is allowed, additional absences will affect this portion of
your grade and will be taken into consideration if a student is borderline between two
grades
2. Case and Peer evaluations* 10%
3. Midterm exam- Closed Book 25 %
4. Final Exam- Closed Book & partly cumulative 30 %
5. Group Project and Peer evaluations* 25 %
Total 100%
* Peer evaluation : if your peer review score is below a 7, you receive a 10-point deduction from final case or group project
score. i.e. if the Case received a 90 you would get an 80

Overall Course Total Letter Grade

90 -100 A
80 - 89 B
65 – 79 C
Less than 65 F

B. Cases and Projects will be graded mainly on the strength of the arguments in the analysis section . In order to
encourage groups to prepare a professional report the following weights will be used.

Activity Weights
1. Key issues & Relevant background information – SWOT, competition, 15 %
customers, and environment. Buyer behavior
2. Analysis – qualitative, quantitative 35 %
3. Evaluation of alternative courses of action & Recommendation 35 %
4. Metrics & how to implement the decision - 4 P's. 7.5 %
5. Overall written & oral presentation of the report. (feedback from volunteer 7.5 %
company if applicable)
Total 100%

Course Syllabus Page 4

Confidential

Peer Evaluation Form for Case Study & Group Project

The purpose of this evaluation is to measure the contribution of each member to the group effort. Each member will rate
the relative contribution of all members in the group on a 10-point scale. The average of these ratings will be the peer
evaluation score. For example, if you rate your contribution 8, and other members rate you 9, 8 and 9, then your peer
evaluation will be 8.5. You should be honest and impartial in your evaluations. The instructor reserves the right to adjust
and/or discard evaluations that are questionable. Please use the scale shown below:
IMPORTANT NOTE: IF A STUDENT RECEIVES AN AVERAGE PEER SCORE OF 7 OR LOWER; THEY WILL
RECEIVE ONE GRADE LEVEL LOWER THAN THE GROUP’S CASE OR PROJECT SCORE.

No contribution Contributed
at all a lot
┌───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┐
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Enter the name of each Rate the member’s Please provide some justification for your rating below
group member, yourself contribution on the 1 only if the score you assigned to a team member is
first, below. to 10 scale: below a 7. Use back of the form if needed.
1. Your Name:

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Please turn in this form the day the Cases or projects are due

Course Syllabus Page 5

Course & Instructor Policies

A successful course requires expectations to be satisfied on both sides. You can expect that I will select relevant materials
and present them effectively in class. I will foster a supportive environment in the classroom. If requested, I will provide
feedback on your performance in the course both formally and informally.

I expect that you will prepare carefully by reading your assignments/cases and will be ready to participate
in all class discussions. Attendance in class is required although one absence is allowed without penalty after the first
class. There is a 10-point deduction from your participation grade for every additional absence. I expect that you will
come to me if you have any difficulty with the material, or if you have suggestions to improve the quality of the course.

Make-up exams: No make-up mid-term test will be arranged. If the mid-term exam is missed & only for a verifiable
and valid reason, your final exam will account for 55% of your total grade. In this case your final exam will contain more
comprehensive material than the final of those students who took the midterm.

There are NO provisions for “extra credit” assignments in case of poor performance on any exam

My role is to facilitate the case discussion. Remember that the quality of discussion is the responsibility of the whole class.
Ten percent of the grade counts towards class participation.

Final note: While there is no "one" correct answer to the problem, there can be wrong answers or approaches. Please be
prepared and read your material, irrelevant or incorrect answers do not help your participation grade. We investigate
different approaches to the problem and understand the significance of each approach. In the process, you develop a
judgment about how to approach real life decision problems.

Field Trip Policies

Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University policies and
procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding these rules and regulations may be
found at the website address http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional
information is available from the office of the school dean. Below is a description of any travel and/or risk-related
activity associated with this course.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the orderly
and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be
knowledgeable about the rules and regulations, which govern student conduct and activities. General information
on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all
registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and
established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents,
The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are
available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is
expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct
takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Course Syllabus Page 6

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an
academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is
imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own.
As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or
falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is
unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details).
This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90%
effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty/staff and
students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of
each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent
only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if
it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each
student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university personnel. The
Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail
forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates
and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the
student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in
a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the
instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the
respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If
the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a
copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the
School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate
Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic
Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff
members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Course Syllabus Page 7

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s
end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight
(8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to
remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed
automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those of
their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are
Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to
eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom
prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally
an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral presentation for a
student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be
rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special services such as
registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability
Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and
needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or
during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and
observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under
Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence,
preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete
the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may
not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed
period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious
holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to
complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from
the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must
take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision
of the chief executive officer or designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

Course Syllabus Page 8