Marketing Strategy MKTG 601 Spring, 2017 Professor: Dr. Chad Milewicz Office Hours: Tue. & Thurs: 12pm 1pm CT; Thurs: 4:30 5:30pm CT Email: cmmilewicz@usi.edu Online Meeting: Please send an email to request an online meeting. Phone: 812.464.1937 Office Number: BEC 2043 Course Description (from 2016-2017 Graduate Bulletin): http://bulletin.usi.edu/index.php?catoid=14 Analysis and control of the key marketing variables to develop successful strategic marketing plans. Emphasis on the major components of marketing strategy; establishment of overall corporate objectives; analysis of strategic business units; identification of creative alternatives; and examination of company, target market, and competitors. Views strategy formulation from the global and managerial perspectives. Examines significant marketing strategies and applies them to practical analysis of established marketing cases dealing with new and established product management, pricing, channels, and promotional aspects. Credit Hours: 3 Prerequisite(s): None. Open to all MBA majors Meeting Time/Location: Class administered online via Blackboard. Access the course Blackboard site by logging into myusi at https://my.usi.edu/ Course Learning Objectives 1. Describe marketing concepts, frameworks, and methods related to organizational decision making. 2. Evaluate organizational decision making from an ethical and socially responsible perspective. 3. Evaluate how strategic marketing decisions influence organizational performance. USI MBA Program Learning Objectives Upon completion of the MBA program graduates will have developed their capabilities in the following areas: 1. An in-depth understanding of the functional fields of business and their interrelationships in complex organizations. 2. Experience with applied quantitative and behavioral tools of business analysis and decision-making. 3. The ability to think critically and creatively within a global business context. 4. A heightened sense of ethical considerations in decision-making within the business world. 5. Improved communication and decision-making skills through utilization of information technology Communication Guidelines Netiquette All class communications and interactions with other students, the professor, and class coaches should follow common social standards for respect and courtesy. Learn about USI's Netiquette Guidelines for Online Students so that you can get the most out of your class.
Preferred Communication Channels Communicating with the course professor The Course Q&A forum on the class s Discussion Board: All students can access this forum by clicking on the Discussion Boards tab under Communications on the course Blackboard site. Please use this forum to ask questions about the course design, accessing course materials, or where to find materials on Blackboard. The professor will respond to questions posted in this forum within 48 hours if they are not already answered by a classmate. All students can post and respond to questions in this forum. Email (cmmilewicz@usi.edu): Emails received between Sunday evening and Friday at Noon (CST) will generally be answered within 48 hours. Emails received between Friday at Noon and Sunday evening will generally be answered on Monday. Please use email any time you have a question for the professor that you feel is not appropriate for the Course Q&A discussion forum. NOTE: This class has over 150 students. It will not be possible to accommodate individual requests for extensions on assignments, early release times for assignments, or other requests related to changes in the time class assignments are due or how they are to be submitted. Communicating with your course coach This class uses coaches to provide each student timely and professional feedback, grading, and guidance as you complete the course. How do you know who your coach is? You are assigned a coach before the class begins. Your coach will introduce herself/himself to you via email by the day after the courses scheduled start date. All coaches have professional experience and at least one graduate degree related to this class s field of study. Email: You will receive your coach s email address in his or her introductory email. The Class Assignment & Topic Forum for your coach: Each coach works with approximately 30 40 individual students. Each coach s students are given access to a Class Assignment & Topic Forum where the students can communicate with each other and with the coach. You can access this forum by clicking on the Discussion Boards tab under Communications on the course Blackboard site. Please use your coach s forum to learn from your coach and your peers by asking questions about assignments and class topics or sharing your thoughts on class topics. NOTE: These forums are labeled for Teams J1-J9, S1-S9, etc., and they include your coach s name coach Garcia, Coach Walker, etc. You can only access the forum labelled for your team/coach. You can see what team you are on by going to the Groups tab under the Course Tools heading on the Blackboard site. You will learn who your coach is in his or her introductory email that you will receive by the second day of class (i.e. the day after the class s official start date).
Communicating with classmates and teammates The Class Assignment & Topic Forum for your coach: You can share thoughts on class material with your classmates by posting and replying to threads in this discussion forum. Team Groups Page: You can see what team you are on by going to the Groups tab under the Course Tools heading on the Blackboard site. Click on your team s group page and you will have access to multiple tools to allow you to communicate with your team, such as a blog, a file exchange, and a link to email your teammates. Only assigned members of a given team can access these tools. What work do you complete with your team? You will complete and submit 3 assignments with your team. These assignments will be completed during Class Modules 3, 4, and 7. Please see the course calendar for the specific dates of these modules. Please see the Assignments Overview section of this syllabus for a brief description of these team-based assignments. Course Materials No textbook is required for this course. Required Reading Materials Readings accessed online via links to the USI Library: Most required reading materials are accessed online through the USI Library. When you are logged into Blackboard and access a Module in this course you will see a Module Readings folder if the Module has required readings. Click on that folder to access hyperlinks to the required readings. When you click on the link you may be required to log into the USI Library to access these materials. Required Course Pack accessed online via Harvard Business Publishing: Two cases (for use in Module 3 and Module 7) and three required readings (for use in Module 2) will need to be purchased online through Harvard Business Publishing. These materials are part of a course pack for this course. To create a user account (if you do not already have one) and purchase these course pack materials please use this link: http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/62478673. Each required case and reading costs $4.25, for a total cost of $21.25. You will have the option to purchase audio versions of each case at an additional cost of $1.00 each. Required Media Materials When you are logged into Blackboard and access a Module in this course you will see a Module Media folder if the Module has required videos or podcasts. Media accessed online via links to websites: When you click on the respective Module Media folder you may see hyperlinks to media that is available through websites other than USI (e.g., YouTube videos) Media accessed online via Blackboard: When you click on the respective Module Media folder you may be provided links to media that is available through the Blackboard site (e.g., MP4 videos or podcasts).
Technical Requirements A Reliable Computer: a dedicated computer with an updated operating system, such as Windows 7 or later, or Mac OSX. High-Speed Internet Connection: (e.g. DSL or Cable). All USI online students are required to have a stable high-speed Internet connection. A wired Internet connection is recommended for online meeting, exams, and assignment submission. Office 365 (USI login needed) & Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. Supported Web Browser: Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari. Additional information on the system requirements for taking online courses can be found at https://www.usi.edu/onlinelearning/students/system-requirements/ Expected Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills All participants in this course are expected to have a solid foundation in general business-related vocabulary and concepts. If at any time you feel that a concept presented in this course needs further clarification or explanation, please feel encouraged to reach out to your coach via the class assignment and topic forum for your coach or via email. You can also reach out to classmates on the provided discussion boards. Submitted assignments should reflect critical thinking and communication skills appropriate for an MBA-level course. Grading and Assignment Policies You are expected to complete 11 total deliverables during this course. These deliverables are all graded, and your final letter grade in this class is based on the total amount of points you earn on these deliverables. The types of assignments, number of each type of assignment, their respective point values, and the point system used to assign final letter grades are as follows: Assignment Type (point value) Cumulative Points for Assignment Type 1 Team Introduction (5 points) 5 points 4 Worksheet Assignments (25 points each) 100 points 4 Quizzes (10 points each) 40 points 3 Cases (30 points each) 90 points Total Points Possible: 235 points Policy for Assigning Final Grades: A 215 235 total points earned B 190 214 total points earned C 170 189 total points earned D 145 169 total points earned F 0 144 total points earned
Course Calendar This class has 7 Modules, one for each week of the course term. A class calendar with each Module s dates, learning objectives, assigned readings and media, and deliverables is available at the end of this syllabus and on the course s Blackboard site via the Home Page and the Course Calendar tabs in the Start Here portion of the course s Blackboard site menu. Assignment Overviews Team Introduction: Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to help you introduce yourself to the team mates you will work with to complete Case 1 (in Class Module 3), Case 2 (in Class Module 3), and Case 3 (in Class Module 7). Design: This assignment is a discussion board posting that helps you meet the members of the team to which you have been assigned for this class. You are strongly encouraged to use this assignment as an opportunity to engage with your team mates and build a working rapport. This will help you work more comfortably and effectively together when in the Case Assignments in Module 3, Module 4, and Module 7. Submitting your work: You can see the name of your assigned team (e.g., Team J1, Team R2, etc.) by going to the Groups tab under the Course Tools heading on the Blackboard site. To submit this assignment, click the Team Introductions link in Module 1 to go to the Team Introductions forum in the course discussion board (or access this forum directly through the Discussion Boards tab in the Communication section of the menu). Follow instructions for that forum to introduce yourself to your team mates. Grading: This assignment is worth 5 points. Post your introduction in the appropriate discussion board forum by 8:00 PM on Sunday of Module 1 to receive the 5 points for this assignment. Worksheet Assignments: In Modules 1, 2, 5, & 6 you will complete a worksheet assignment. Specific instructions and expectations for each assignment and a link for submitting each assignment are provided in the respective Module. This is a general overview of this type of assignment. Purpose: The purpose of these assignments are to have you reflect on the content presented in the assigned readings and media in each Module. Completing these assignments helps you achieve the learning objectives in each Module by having you apply the content to your current career, a career for which you are preparing, or to some other aspect of your life. Design: These assignments ask you to answer a set of questions. There are no minimum or maximum length requirements for your answers. You are free to format your answers in a way that best helps you communicate your thoughts. For example, you may use bullet points, tables, graphs, a general prose form, or a mixture of writing styles. Please feel welcome and encouraged to post questions, comments, or observations that you have as you complete these assignments on the discussion board. Other participants in class will likely enjoy reading and learning from your thoughts. Submitting your work: Submit your work using the Worksheet Assignment link in each respective module. Click on the link in the Module, then please attach a file (one that can be opened in a.doc or.docx format) with your work using the Browse My Computer button in the Assignment Submission section of the page. Grading: Each assignment is worth a total of 25 points. Your work on these assignments are graded on accuracy (15 points) and completeness (10 points). You can access a rubric describing how these points are earned by clicking on the Worksheet Assignment link in each respective module and then clicking on the View Rubric button. Your assigned coach will grade your work. Feedback: These assignments will be graded within 3 days of the due date. You will see your grade in My Grades on Blackboard and you will be able to access the grade rubric for your work from there (click on your grade in to see the rubric and any feedback provided). If you have questions about your grade or evaluation, please feel welcome to contact your coach.
Assignment Overviews (continued) Quizzes: Cases: Purpose: The purpose of these assignments are to help you verify that you are identifying the main topics in the required readings. Design: These are 10-question multiple choice quizzes. You may take each quiz as many times as you want during a Module, up to the due date (8:00 PM on Sunday of the Module). Each quiz has a pool of approximately 15 questions, and each time you take the quiz it will randomly assign you 10 questions. Grading: Your highest score will be kept at the end of the Module and used in calculating your final grade in the course. These assignments are automatically graded after you submit them. Submitting your work: When you are ready to take a quiz, click on the Quiz link in the respective Module. This link will take you to the quiz which you will complete and submit online via Blackboard Purpose: Reading and analyzing cases and discussing your analysis with others is a good way to improve your critical thinking skills. In this course the cases also help you achieve course learning objectives 2 and 3 by using your knowledge and critical thinking skills to evaluate organizational decision making. These assignments are completed in a team context, rather than individually, so that you can benefit from sharing your analysis with others and getting feedback from them as you complete the work. Design: In module 3 you will analyze a case regarding a firm s strategic marketing program for a new product. In Module 4 you will apply a framework for understanding corporate social responsibility to analyze various firms existing marketing decisions. In Module 7 you will analyze a case regarding a firm s brand architecture decisions. Grading: Each assignment is worth a total of 30 points. Your work on these assignments is graded using a custom rubric for each case. You can access a rubric describing the grading guidelines and expectations for each case by clicking on the Case Assignment link in each respective module and then clicking on the View Rubric button. Every member of the team will receive the same grade for the assignment. It is highly recommended that each person read and approve the final document of the group s work before submitting it for a grade. Your coach will grade your team s work. Submitting your work: Submit one document that contains your team s work using the Case Assignment link in each respective module or by using the respective Case Assignment link your team s Group page. Each team will only submit one document, and any member of the team can submit the team s work. Click on the link in the Module, then please attach a file (one that can be opened in a.doc or.docx format) with your work using the Browse My Computer button in the Assignment Submission section of the page. Feedback: These assignments will be graded within 3 days of the due date. You will see your grade in My Grades on Blackboard and you will be able to access the grade rubric for your work from there (click on your grade in to see the rubric and any feedback provided). If you have questions about your grade or evaluation, please feel welcome to contact your coach. Note about SafeAssign feature on Blackboard: Please note that this course uses the SafeAssign feature in Blackboard. This feature is used for the Worksheet Assignments and the Case Assignments. This feature compares the work you submit to a database of previously submitted assignments to check for overall originality. This course does not require a submission to achieve a specified SafeAssign percentage score before it is submitted. However, if there is reason to suspect that an individual or team s work is inappropriately represented as their original work, then SafeAssign information may a part of what is consulted to determine if an issue of academic dishonesty exists. You can learn about SafeAssign here (this may require logging into Blackboard): https://en-us.help.blackboard.com/learn/student/assignments/assignments_using_safeassign
Course & University Policies Discussion Board Policy This course has only one required discussion board assignment, the team introduction assignment in Module 1. In addition to the Team Introduction forum, the class Blackboard site also has a Class Q&A forum and Class Assignment & Topic Forum in the Discussion Boards section. Late Assignment Policy Each assignment must be completed and submitted according to the respective assignment s submission policy. Each assignment is due by 8:00 PM on the last day of the respective Module. As a general rule, late assignments will not be accepted and should not be expected. Academic Dishonesty Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in the academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty including, but not limited to, plagiarism and/or cheating on an examination will be subject to disciplinary action. For more information, please visit www.usi.edu/deanofstudents/academic-integrity. Diversity Issues The pursuit of an intellectually open setting for class discussions is one of the goals of the course. Students should feel free to articulate respectfully different perceptions of the social world; however, belittling, abusive, and discriminatory language will not be tolerated under any circumstances. For more information, please visit https://www.usi.edu/diversityresources/. Disability Statement If you have a disability for which you may require academic accommodations for this class, please contact Disability Resources at 812-464-1961 or email Ronda Stone at rfstone@usi.edu as soon as possible. Students who are approved for accommodations by Disability Resources should request their accommodation letter be sent to their online instructors. Due to the nature of online courses some accommodations approved for on campus courses may not apply. Please discuss this with Disability Resources to clarify as needed. Students who receive an accommodation letter from Disability Resources are encouraged to discuss the provisions of those accommodations with their professors before or during the first week of the semester. If you will be in an internship, field, clinical, student teaching, or other off-campus setting this semester please note that approved academic accommodations may not apply. Please contact Disability Resources as soon as possible to discuss accommodations needed for access while in this setting. For more information, please visit the Disability Resources website at www.usi.edu/disabilities. Class Withdrawal & Incomplete Policy It is the student s responsibility to officially drop/withdraw from any courses before the deadline. The university does not withdraw students from any classes. Please refer to the USI Academic Calendar (https://www.usi.edu/registrar/academic-calendar ) for specific dates. For more information, please visit http://www.usi.edu/registrar. Under special circumstances, students may petition for an incomplete grade. However, it is up to the course instructor to decide if an incomplete will be granted. Students receiving an incomplete grade will need to complete all course requirements by the agreed deadline to avoid an F grade.
Title IX, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence Policy USI does not tolerate acts of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and all forms of sexual violence. If you have experienced sexual misconduct, or know someone who has, the University can help. It is important to know that federal regulations and University policy require faculty to promptly report incidences of potential sexual misconduct known to them to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure that appropriate measures are taken and resources are made available. The University will work with you to protect your privacy by sharing information with only those who need to know to ensure we can respond and assist. If you are seeking help and would like to speak to someone confidentially, you can make an appointment with a counselor in the University Counseling Center. Find more information about sexual violence, including campus and community resources at www.usi.edu/stopsexualassault. Technical Support IT Help Desk Support Since your professors are not trained as technology experts, they will not be able to assist you with your technical needs. Please contact the Help Desk at (812) 465-1080 or send an email to it@usi.edu for technical support. To learn more about the USI helpdesk, please visit http://www.usi.edu/onlinelearning/students/support-services/ o Blackboard Support If you would like to speak to a support technician, you can call (812) 465-1080 during normal USI business hours (8am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday). Click on the following link for more FAQ about Blackboard http://www.usi.edu/it/blackboard-online-help/faq-for-students. o Blackboard Collaborate Support http://www.blackboard.com/platforms/collaborate/services/on- Demand-Learning-Center/Web-Conferencing.aspx#freetraining Distance Learning Office Support o Web Meeting Support (e.g. Zoom, Blackboard Collaborate, etc.) For issues involving web meeting setup/host/participation, please contact the Department of Distance Learning at (812) 228-5124 or send an email to online.support@usi.edu. Privacy Policies & Accessibility Statements For detailed information about the privacy policies and accessibility statements of the course technologies, please visit http://www.usi.edu/onlinelearning/students/support-services/. Academic Support Services APA Guidelines http://usi.libguides.com/citingsources David L. Rice Library http://www.usi.edu/library Research Guides Research assistance, subject guides, and useful resources compiled by your friendly librarians. http://usi.libguides.com/ Consulting Center http://www.usi.edu/counselingcenter/
Disability, and ADA Support http://www.usi.edu/university-division/disabilities Student Grievances https://www.usi.edu/media/3402299/grievance-and-complaints-procedures.pdf Student Handbook All other academic and support services are located within the student handbook. Please refer to student handbook at https://www.usi.edu/deanofstudents/code for detailed information regarding advising, registration, financial aid, student and campus life, counseling, career services, list of student organizations, etc. Overview of Class Participants Responsibilities Professor Responsibilities Academic Coach Responsibilities Student Responsibilities 1. Develop course content that is relevant, useful, and aligned with course/mba program objectives. 2. Design course content to be delivered effectively online in an accelerated format. 1. Become familiar with course content to provide relevant and useful feedback to students on assignments. 2. Become familiar with course delivery method to assist students with progressing through the course. 1. Understand and apply course content. 2. Allocate appropriate time (approximately 20 hours per week) to complete online accelerated courses. 3. Teach in a variety of methods. 3. Provide feedback to students in a variety of methods. 3. Learn in a variety of methods. 4. Treat everyone with courtesy and respect. 5. Abide by the syllabus and notify academic coaches and students if changes need to be made. 6. Grade samples from each academic coach to ensure quality and consistency in grading. 7. Respond to emails from coaches within 24 hours during working hours (M-F 8-5). 8. Maintain the university s policy concerning academic integrity. 4. Treat everyone with courtesy and respect. 5. Understand the syllabus and be cognizant of the course calendar. 6. Grade student assignments within 72 hours. 7. Respond to emails from students within 24 hours. 8. Maintain the university s policy concerning academic integrity. 4. Treat everyone with courtesy and respect. 5. Understand the syllabus and be cognizant of the course calendar. 6. Submit assignments by deadlines in the syllabus. 7. Make sure e-mail folder is not full and email course-related questions to the academic coach or use appropriate Discussion Fourm. 8. Maintain the university s policy concerning academic integrity. Syllabus Change Policy This syllabus may be subject to change with reasonable advanced notice. Changes to the syllabus and course calendar will be announced via email and on Blackboard.
Week Dates Week 1 Monday 03/13 Sunday 3/19 Week 2 Monday 03/20 Sunday 3/26 Week 3 Monday 03/27 Sunday 4/02 Week 4 Monday 04/03 Sunday 4/09 Week 5 Monday 04/10 Sunday 4/16 Week 6 Monday 04/17 Sunday 4/23 Week 7** Monday 04/24 Module Topic Module 1 Theory Module 2 Strategy Module 3 Case 1 Module 4 Social Responsibility & Case 2 Module 5 Success Metrics Module 6 Branding Module 7 Case 3 MKTG 601 Course Calendar Term (length): Spring 2017 (7 weeks) Instructor: Dr. Chad Milewicz Module Learning Objective(s) Related course learning objective(s) Describe specific frameworks and philosophies relevant to marketing strategy. Contributes to course learning objective 1. Identify elements of an integrated marketing process. Contributes to course learning objective 1. Evaluate how an integrated marketing process influences organizational performance. Contributes to course learning objectives 1 and 3. Apply a model of corporate social responsibility to analyze corporate decisions. Contributes to course learning objectives 1 and 2. Provide examples of metrics used to track marketing's impact on organizational performance, and identify generalizations about marketing's impact on organizational success. Contributes to course learning objective 1. Describe options for managing brands Contributes to course learning objective 1. Evaluate how strategic branding decisions influence organizational performance. Required Readings & Media* 5 readings 1 videos 3 readings 1 videos Friday 04/28 Contributes to course learning objectives 1 and 3. *The approximate time requirement to complete each module s required readings, media, and deliverables should be relatively similar. **Please note that Module 7 ends on a Friday, not a Sunday like Modules 1 6. ^Please note that all times identified in this course refer to Central Time (CT). Course Learning Objectives: 1. Describe marketing concepts, frameworks, and methods related to organizational decision making. 2. Evaluate organizational decision making from an ethical and socially responsible perspective. 3. Evaluate how strategic marketing decisions influence organizational performance. Deliverables (Due by 8:00 PM CT on last day of week)^ Worksheet Assignment 1 Team Introduction (on discussion board) Quiz 1 Worksheet Assignment 2 Quiz 2 1 case Case Analysis 1 (completed with your team) 1 readings Case Analysis 2 (completed with your team) 2 readings 1 videos 3 readings 1 videos Worksheet Assignment 3 Quiz 3 Worksheet Assignment 4 Quiz 4 1 case Case Analysis 3 (completed with your team)