Course Description
This course will examine the basic principles of marketing, including looking at the “hot buttons” of a consumer (what it is that makes them take action) and how to capitalize on this knowledge. The course topics include, but are not limited to, marketing communications, pricing strategies, ethics, e-commerce, and product life cycles. Students will combine these activities to develop a true marketing plan for a real company. (3 credits)
Prerequisite
- None
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Define what marketing is and discuss its core concepts.
- Explain company wide strategic planning, the marketing forces and how marketing management functions.
- Describe how environmental, economic and demographic environments affect marketing decisions and the ability for a company to serve its customers.
- Define the marketing information system, its importance, and the advantages/disadvantages of various data collection methods.
- Understand the consumer market and the major factors that influence consumer buying behavior and the buying decision process.
- Discuss the major levels of market segmentation, the bases for segmenting consumer & business markets and competitive product positioning.
- Describe and define the roles of product and service branding, packaging, labeling and support services.
- Explain how companies find and develop new product ideas and maximize a product life-cycle.
- Identify and explain the external and internal factors affecting pricing decisions.
- Explain why companies use distribution channels and how retail and wholesale distribution differ.
- Discuss the process and advantages of integrated marketing communications and the role of sales in the customer relationship process.
- Identify and compare the benefits of direct marketing vs. online marketing.
- Define the major social criticisms of marketing and the role ethics plays.
Course Activities and Grading
| Assignments | Weight |
|---|---|
Group Weekly Discussions (Weeks 1-8) | 20% |
Midterm Exam (Week 4) | 20% |
Final Exam (Week 8) | 20% |
Group Research Paper | 20% |
Tests (Weeks 1-8) | 10% |
Peer Evaluation | 10% |
Total | 100% |
Required Textbooks
Available through Charter Oak's online bookstore
- Armstrong, Gary and Philip Kotler. Marketing. 14th ed. Pearson Publishing, 2020. ISBN-10: 0-13-519336-2 or ISBN-13: 978-0-13-519336-5
Additional Resources
- Powerpoint presentations, weeks 1 - 8
- Optional Readings:
- Pepsi and Coke (week 1)
- Brand_Leverage (week 3)
- Multiproduct (week 3)
- Share-of-Wallet (week 3)
- What is Branding (week 4)
- Marketing Water (week 5)
- The secrets of marketing cpn (week 5)
- Crisis Management (week 6)
- Promoting Website (week 7)
- Ethics in Advertising (week 8)
- Ethical Marketing (week 8)
Course Schedule
Week | SLOs | Readings and Exercises | Assignment(s) |
1 | 1,2 | Topics: Creating Customer Value and Engagement & Company and Marketing Strategy
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2 | 3,4 | Topics: Analyzing the Marketing Environment & Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights
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3 | 5,6 | Topics: Understanding Consumer and Business Buyer Behavior & Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategy
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4 | 7 | Topics: Products, Services and Brands
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Midterm Exam | |||
5 | 8,9 | Topics: Developing New Products and Managing the Product Life Cycle & Pricing
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6 | 10,11 | Topics: Marketing Channels & Retailing and Wholesaling & Engaging Customers and Communicating Customer Value & Personal Selling and Sales Promotion
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7 | 3,12 | Topics: Direct, Online, Social Media and Mobile Marketing & the Global Marketplace
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8 | 13 | Topics: Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics
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Final Exam | |||
Additional Information
- Student will be applying the principles in the text to a specific company you have chosen from the list provided (Walt Disney World, Krispy Kreme, Levi Srauss, Home Depot, Ford or Revlon).
- In the first week, select a company that you will be using as a “case study” for the whole semester. It doesn’t matter which company you choose, but it should be one you are interested in as you’ll be using the same company all semester long. The company will also determine which group you are assigned to.
- All of the students who have chosen the same company will now be a group, working together for the rest of the semester. Note: There is a maximum of 5 students per group. Companies will be chosen by students on a first come, first serve basis.
- Each week, you will read the text assignments and online class notes (as well as any additional or optional readings).
- Each week, you will complete research on the weekly post-topic and how it pertains to your company.
COSC Accessibility Statement
Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.
COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources
Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.