Mba Marketing Strategy

Syllabus

October 6, 2011

MGT 6520 MBA Marketing Strategy, Fall 2011; Logan on-campus

Instructor Ken Snyder

Office: #818 in the business building

Phone: 435-797-1387

Email: ken.snyder@usu.edu (generally this is the preferred method of contacting me)

Office Hours: 3:00-5:00 pm every Thursday in my office

Class Schedule:

Days: Every Tuesday and Thursday (see below for class schedule)

Time: 12:00-2:45 pm

CRN: 40296

Classroom: 211

Course Description (catalog):

Advanced case approach to current marketing management problems.Emphasizes concepts, research, techniques, decision making, and marketing strategy development.

Course Objectives:

• To develop your skills in understanding how marketing activities, such as the following, fit into the larger context of successful strategic business operations.

o Strategy

o Target markets

o Competitive analysis

o Brand building

o Market research

o Product development

o Product life cycle

o Pricing

o Promotion

o Advertising

o Direct sales

o Distribution channels

o Wholesaling

o Retailing

o Social marketing

o Integrated marketing communications

• To develop your skills in critical thinking.

• To develop your skills in making good marketing decisions.

• To increase your understanding of real-life marketing problems.

• To increase your understanding of the marketing mix and how all marketing activities must be integrated.

• To increase your ability to think systemically, and understand how marketing activities drive the broader company activities such as operations, finance, etc.

• To develop your presentation skills so you can make a successful marketing pitch.

• To develop your marketing skills so that you can "rise above the noise."

Cases& Readings:

There is no textbook for this class. There is a packet of readings and case materials which we will use throughout the semester (see below). In order to save you money (about $20), we have arranged for you to purchase the materials directly from the Harvard website. You can either purchase an electronic format or a format that allows you to print the materials. Each item should cost a little under $4. All of the materials you need to purchase can be purchased from the following website http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/access/9523835.This includes 18 cases and three readings as listed below. You will need the title of the material, or the number to purchase. Both the titles and numbers are listed in this syllabus. If you have any questions about where the material is located or how to download it, please contact Lindi Brown (lindi.brown@usu.edu, 435-797-2360). All of the other reading materials are availableon Blackboard.

Case Studies:

1) TruEarth Healthy Foods: Market Research (4065-PDF-ENG)

2) Mountain Dew: Selecting New Creative (502040-PDF-ENG)

3) Brita Products Co. (500024-PDF-ENG)

4) Creative Advertising: Sunday Communications Ltd. (HKU554-PDF-ENG)

5) Matching Dell (799158-PDF-ENG)

6) Dell: Overcoming Roadblocks to Growth (HKU575-PDF-ENG)

7) Natureview Farm (2073-PDF-ENG)

8) Giant Consumer Products: The Sales Promotion Resource Allocation Decision (4131-PDF-ENG)

9) RCI Master Distributor (595001-PDF-ENG)

10) Wal-Mart Neighborhood Markets (503034-PDF-ENG)

11) CVS: The Web Strategy (500008-PDF-ENG)

12) HubSpot: Inbound Marketing and Web 2.0 (509049-PDF-ENG)

13) Reebok Pursuing Generation X (TB0075-PDF-ENG)

14) Brand in the Hand: Mobile Marketing at Adidas (905A24-PDF-ENG)

15) Spectrum Brands Inc. – The Sales Force Dilemma (906A35-PDF-ENG)

16) Marketing James Patterson (505029-PDF-ENG)

17) MedNet.Com (2066-PDF-ENG)

18) XM Satellite Radio (504009-PDF-ENG) – Note: This will be the Test/Case Analysis case.

Readings:

These three are available on the Harvard website:

1) "Learning by the Case Method" (9-376-241)

2) "How to Discuss a Case" (2450BC)

3) "How to Analyze a Case" (2449BC)

These are available on Blackboard

4) "10 Principles of Online Marketing" (Snyder) – PowerPoint presentation

5) "7 Steps to Jump-start Your Email Marketing Strategy" (Hubspot)

6) "Right-time Email"(Strong Mail)

7) "State of Inbound Marketing" (Hubspot)

8) "SEO, SEM and Google Tools" (Snyder) – PowerPoint presentation

9) "Learning SEO From the Expert" (Hubspot)

10) "7 Google Tools to Improve Marketing Effectiveness" (Hubspot)

11) "Business Intelligence and Marketing" (Snyder) – PowerPoint presentation

12) "The Art of Making a Great Presentation" (Snyder) – PowerPoint Presentation

13) "Marketing Using Social Media" (Snyder) – PowerPoint presentation

14) "Barack Obama: Organizing, Engaging and Winning: How the Obama Campaign Used Interactive Media to Win the Presidency" – (Wharton School Case Study)

15) "Social Media Guide" (Awareness)

Readings:

Please read the syllabus before the first day of class. The discussion in class will be based on the cases and readings assigned for the date listed in the syllabus. You are required to read the case to be discussed PRIOR to the class. Attending class is not a substitute for reading the case. Likewise, just reading the case is not a substitute for attending class.

Grading:

Final grades will be based on the following scale:

Point total Grade

93-100 A

90-92 A-

88-89 B+

83-87 B

80-82 B-

76-79 C+

65-75 C

60-64 C-

0-59 F

Grades will be based on the following elements. Each element is explained below.

Element Due Date Points %

Test/Case Analysis 12/1/2011 40 points 40%

Presentation 12/6/2011 30 points 30%

Participation As noted/On-going 30 points 30%

Grades will be based against a standard of excellence and not on a curve.

Test/Case Analysis: (40 points) There will be one test. The test will be an analysis of a case. There will be some specific questions that you will need to address in the context of your case analysis. You will be required to submit a written analysis of the case. The test is open book. You may use any information resource available to you – including the library resources, online resources, etc. The test is NOT open discussion or open neighbor – other class members are NOT a resource.

The written analysis reports should be about 10 pages in length, single-spaced in 12 point font. The reports should be submitted