Operational and Strategic Marketing (20353)
Degree/study: Bachelor's Degree in Advertising and Public Relations
Year: Second
Term: First
Number of ECTS credits: 6 credits
Hours of studi dedication: 150 hours
Teaching language or languages: catalan
Teaching Staff: Judith Badia
1. Presentation of the subject
This course is an introduction to the main concepts of operational and strategic marketing commonly used by companies. More specifically, the course presents several approaches, tools and techniques aimed at successfully developing a marketing policy in the business world. The theory will be complemented with practical examples.
The course's goals can be defined in two big fields: generic skills and specific skills being the course's own goals.
2. Competences to be attained
Generic skills:
•1. Instrumental skills
Analysis and synthesis skills.
Planning and organization skills.
Knowledge of the discipline's fundamentals.
Problem resolution skills.
Basic vocabulary command.
Decision-making capacity.
•2. Interpersonal skills
Team working skills.
Critical assessment and self-assessment skills.
Communication skills.
Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.
•3. Systemic skills
Capacity to apply theory into practice.
Learning capacity.
Researching resources.
Ability to work autonomously.
Project design.
Specific skills
The course is aimed at helping students learn about the role played by marketing in the business strategy and be able to link its different elements to the real practice. This means that the processes and techniques needed to successfully develop a business marketing strategy must be known. One of the course's main goals is that students learn to identify the strategies that companies must put into practice in order to carry out a satisfactory marketing policy. To do so, the different fields of marketing performance and their relation with several business orientations must be known.
Minimum degree specific skills
- Defining marketing's function within the business strategy.
- Having a precise concept of what marketing strategy is.
- Understanding the marketing connections with the main concepts it is linked to.
- Being able to carry out an exhaustive analysis of the internal and external situation of a company.
- Knowing the different fields of marketing performance.
- Conceiving marketing strategies suitable for every situation, strategies contributing to reach the business' general goals.
- Comparing the different approaches that companies have when facing the market.
- Knowing how the strategic planning process is developed and knowing the existing main strategy types for companies.
- Establishing a first contact with the basic instruments of operational marketing: product, price, distribution and communication.
- Studying in depth the marketing plan analysis and knowing the contents' elaboration process.
Excellence degree skills
- Achieving a set of skills that, when combined with the acquired knowledge, enable the student to undertake marketing initiatives in the real practice of the profession.
3. Contents
Block I: Introduction to strategic marketing
Unit 1: Business marketing strategy.
Unit 2: Company situation analysis.
Unit 3: Obtaining a sustainable competitive advantage.
Block II: Marketing strategy typologies
Unit 4: Differentiation and placement strategies.
Unit 5: Costs leadership strategies.
Unit 6: Focalization strategies.
Unit 7: Anticipated moves strategies.
Unit 8: Growth strategies.
Unit 9: Special situations strategies.
Block III: Operational marketing
Unit 10: The marketing plan.
Unit 12: Product policy.
Unit 13: Prices policy.
Unit 14: Distribution policy.
Unit 15: Communication policy.
4. Assessment
The course is structured in two parts: a theoretical part and a practical part.
It is indispensable to pass the continuous assessment in order to get a pass in the course during the first exams round.
The theoretical part will have a 70% weight of the final mark and the practical one will have the other 30%.
The theory will be taught by the teacher in class, in combination with examples of the explained subject.
Individual and in group exercises related to the subject will be carried out throughout the term. Some of these exercises will be marked and they will have a 30% weight of the final mark. At the end of the term, a theory exam will take place. The mark obtained in this exam will be worth 70% of the final mark.
To sum up:
|
Part |
Weight |
|
Theory : Theory exam |
70% |
|
Practical: Individual and group exercises |
30% |
|
TOTAL |
100% |
The final mark will be the average of the two parts' marks. If the student fails any of the two parts, the passed part mark will only be kept for the next round of exams. The student will only have to take the failed part. In case he fails the theory part, he will have to take a theory exam. If the failed part is the practical one, he will have to take a practical exam. If both parts are failed, he will have to take both exams. In case he fails during the second round of exams, the whole course will be failed and, therefore, the student will have to repeat the complete course during the next year.
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
Aaker, D. A. (2004). Strategic market management. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Abascal, F. (2001). Cómo se hace un plan estratégico: la teoría del marketing estratégico. Madrid: Esic.
Cravens, D. (2002). Strategic marketing management cases. New York: Mc- Graw-Hill.
Kotler, P. (2006). Dirección de marketing. Madrid: Pearson Alhambra.
Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L. Marketing Management. Ed. Prentice Hall. (12th Edition 2006, 13th Edition 2008).
Lambin, J. J. (2003). Marketing estratégico. Madrid: Esic.
Munuera, J. L.; Rodríguez, A. I. (2002). Estrategias de marketing: teoría y casos. Madrid: Pirámide.
Rodríguez I. (coord.) (2006). Principios y estrategias de marketing. Barcelona: Ediuoc.
Santesmases, M. (2007). Marketing. Conceptos y estrategias (5a. edició). Madrid: Ediciones Pirámide / ESIC Editorial.
Sánchez, J. (2001). Plan de marketing: análisis, decisiones y control. Madrid: Pirámide.
5.2. Complementary bibliography
Aaker, D. (1994). Gestión de valor de marca: capitalizar el valor de la marca. Madrid: Díaz de Santos.
Aaker, D.; Joachimsthaler, E. (2001). Liderazgo de marca (translation from R.M. Álvarez del Blanco; original edition 2000). Barcelona: Deusto.
Abell, D. F. (1980). Defining the business: The starting point of strategic planning. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Alonso, J. (2001). Comportamiento del consumidor (4th editon). Madrid: Esic Editorial.
Ambrosio, V. (2000). Plan de marketing paso a paso. Bogota: Pearson Educación de Colombia.
Diffenbach, J. (1983). "Corporate environmental analysis in large U.S. corporations". Long Range Planning (vol. 16, pages 107-116).
Dubois, B.; Rovira, A. (1998). Comportamiento del consumidor. Comprendiendo al consumidor (2nd edition). Madrid: Prentice Hall.
González, E.; Alén, E. (coord.) (2005). Casos de dirección de marketing. Madrid: Pearson.
Howard, J. A. (1977). Consumer behavior: application of theory. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Kapferer, J.N. (1992). La marca: capital de la empresa. Barcelona: Deusto.
Kotler, P.; Armstrong, G.; Cámara, D.; Cruz, I. (2004). Principios de marketing (10th edition). Madrid: Prentice Hall.
Kotler, P.; Keller, K. L. (2005). Marketing management (15th edition). Upper Saddle River (New Jersey): Prentice Hall.
McCarthy, E. J.; Perreault, W. D. (2001). Marketing. Un enfoque global (13th edition). Mexic: McGraw-Hill.
Ries, A.; Trout, J. (1986). Positioning Battle for Your Mind. New York: McGraw-Hill. Traducción: Posicionamiento. Mexic: McGraw-Hill (1989).
Rodríguez Ardura, I. (1998). El marketing y el éxito en la empresa (2nd edition). Madrid: Ediciones Pirámide.
Roverts, K (2005). El futuro más allá de las marcas. Lovemarks. Navarra: Urano
Rufín, R. (1995). Marketing. Madrid: Sanz y Torres.
Santesmases, M. (2001). Marketing: conceptos y estrategias. Madrid: Pirámide.
Solomon, M. R.; Stuart, E. W. (2001). Marketing. Personas reales, decisiones reales (2nd edition). Bogota (Colombia): Prentice Hall.
Stanton, W. J.; Etzel, M. J.; Walker, B. J. (2004). Fundamentos de marketing (13th edition). Mexic: McGraw-Hill.
Termcat (1999). Diccionari de comunicació empresarial. Publicitat, relacions públiques i màrqueting. Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana.
5.3. Teaching resources
www.bulb marketing
www.aedemo.es (Spanish association of market studies)
www.marketing-intelligence.co.asociación.uk
6. Metodology
The course has a double aspect: theoretical and practical. Accordingly, the teacher will put at the students' disposal the necessary instruments, documents and references in order to combine the master lessons with practical applications. The goal is to foster a participation and interactivity environment. Therefore, students are encouraged to make personal contributions to the subject and to solve their subject related doubts with the teacher.
Power Point thematic presentations will be done in order to make it easier for the students to understand the subjects. As well, the contents will be illustrated with real cases, aiming at approaching students as much as possible to the professional reality.
The learning process will be organized around:
- Master classes
- In-class practical exercises
- Out of class practical exercises
- Self-learning
- Exams
Timetable distribution:
This is a 6ECTS subject, which implies 150 hours of time commitment from the students. They are to be distributed in the following way:
|
Hours of commitment from the students |
HOURS |
|
Master classes |
40 |
|
Exams |
2 |
|
In-class practical exercises |
20 |
|
Out of class practical exercises |
34 |
|
Self-learning |
18 |
|
Preparation for the exams |
36 |
|
TOTAL |
150 |
In regard to in-class learning, the course will be organized around three activities students must attend to: master classes, practical exercises and exams. Attendance to the sessions is required. They will take place throughout ten weeks, with six hours (in two blocks of three hours) a week.
|
Weeks |
Master classes |
In-class practical exercises |
Out of class practical exercises |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
4 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
5 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
6 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
7 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
8 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
9 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
10 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
TOTAL |
19 |
19 |
18 |
Sessions students must attend to:
Master classes: The teacher explains the main concepts and the different theoretical and methodological perspectives in operational and strategic marketing, with illustrative examples to make it easier to understand for students. As well, any doubts the students may have will be solved.
In-class practical exercises: Individual or in small groups exercises to be marked. There will be 20 sessions of one hour each.
The activities that will be carried out are:
- Comparative reading of texts
- Analysis and/or knowledge application exercises
- Discussion and collective correction of the out of class activities
- Question papers about the acquired knowledge
Out of class activities:
Supervised by the teacher:
. Preparation for the in-class activities: practical exercises, text readings, etc.
. Reflection exercises that cannot be done during the class.
Self-learning:
. Reading of selected texts and articles.
7. Planning of activities
|
Week |
In-class activity |
Out of class activity |
|
Week 1: BLOCK I |
Session 1. Master class + Practical exercise
|
|
|
Week 2: BLOCK I |
Session 2. Master class + Practical exercise Session 3. Master class + Practical exercise |
Preparation for the practical exercise |
|
Week 3: BLOCK II |
Session 4. Master class + Practical exercise Session 5. Master class + Practical exercise |
Individual reading |
|
Week 4: BLOCK II |
Session 6. Master class + Practical exercise Session 7. Master class + Practical exercise |
Individual reading |
|
Week 5: BLOCK II |
Session 8. Master class + Practical exercise Session 9. Master class + Practical exercise |
Preparation for the practical exercise |
|
Week 6: BLOCK II y BLOCK III |
Session 10. Master class + Practical exercise Session 11. Master class + Practical exercise |
Preparation for the practical exercise |
|
Week 7: BLOCK III |
Session 12. Master class + Practical exercise Session 13. Master class + Practical exercise |
Preparation for the practical exercise |
|
Week 8: BLOCK III |
Session 14. Master class + Practical exercise Session 15. Master class + Practical exercise |
Individual reading |
|
Week 9: BLOCK III |
Session 16. Master class + Practical exercise Session 17. Master class + Practical exercise |
Preparation for the practical exercise |
|
Week 10: BLOCK III |
Session 18. Master class + Practical exercise Session 19. Master class + Practical exercise |
Preparation for the practical exercise |