BUS 64 - Principles of Marketing

Transfer Status

CSU

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course explores the nature, function and importance of marketing. It focuses on conducting opportunity analysis, assessing consumer behavior, engaging in marketing research, and target marketing as the basis for devising marketing objectives and plans. Students will develop and assess marketing strategies to meet the needs of consumer and Business-to-Business (B2B) target markets using the "4 P's": product, promotion, price and place. The emphasis is on ethics, needs-satisfaction, and relationship marketing in today's global, technology-infused, competitive environment.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Discuss key marketing concepts and tools necessary to help organizations satisfy customers' needs and develop and sustain a competitive advantage.
2. Critically assess situations, apply marketing principles and practices to: conduct basic marketing research; define and segment consumer and B2B markets; develop needs-satisfying products and services; devise appropriate pricing and distributing strategies; create promotional campaigns using tools such as advertising, personal selling, publicity, sales promotion and social media.
3. Comprehensively and systematically evaluate an existing organization, its marketing operations and potential, then complete a marketing audit or create a marketing plan.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Collaborative Group Work
2. Discussion
3. Guest Speakers
4. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
5. Lecture

1. Exams/Tests
2. Oral Presentation
3. Homework
4. Class participation
5. Written Assignments

Reading Assignments

1. Read the text material about the consumer decision-making process and the determinants of consumer behavior. Review your notes on our prior discussions of e-business, social media and global marketing. Prepare for in-class discussion of the impact of technology and global competition on consumer behavior and on optimal competitive strategies.
2. Read the text material about market segmentation, focusing specifically on the bases for segmenting consumer markets. Prepare for in-class discussion of various industries or types of organizations (e.g., online dating, charitable organizations, auto manufacturers) and the ways in which they target markets based on geographic, demographic, psychographic and product-related factors.

Writing Assignments

1. Following review of the product life cycle (PLC) concept, choose a product type (e.g., SUVs, cosmetic dentistry, MP3 players, laptop computers) on which to focus. Create four 1-2 page worksheet templates, one for each stage of the product life cycle (i.e., introduction, growth, maturity, decline). On each, describe (in detailed sentence format) the industry’s sales, the industry’s profits, the nature of the competition, the target audience(s) and typical strategies relative to the 4P's (product, price, promotion and place).
2. Identify a marketing decision you could best make after conducting marketing research. Specifically identify and describe secondary data that might facilitate your decision and explain how it might be beneficial and/or of limited use. To gather information pertinent to this decision, brainstorm and write a dozen open-ended questions you could use to conduct primary research with a focus group.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Marketing Audit Report/Presentation: As a member of a 3-6 person team, audit the marketing activities of a local company/organization. Collaboratively research, write and edit a 15-20 page report, following the prescribed format provided (including headings/subheadings and content written in complete sentences and paragraphs). Create a visually appealing, professional PowerPoint presentation, and practice (then effectively deliver) your 20-minute, in-class presentation. Individually, complete a peer assessment sheet evaluating (and describing) the contribution(s) of each team member, yourself included.
2. Marketing Plan Report/Presentation: As a member of a 3-6 person team, research a local company/organization and devise a detailed marketing plan. Collaboratively research, write and edit a 15-20 page report, following the prescribed format provided (including headings/ subheadings and content written in complete sentences and paragraphs). Create a visually appealing, professional PowerPoint presentation, and practice (then effectively deliver) your 20-minute, in-class presentation. Individually, complete a peer assessment sheet evaluating and describing the contribution(s) of each team member, yourself included.

Kotler & Armstrong. (2024). Principles of Marketing. Pearson, 19th. 9780137864898.

Kerin & Hartley. (2024). Marketing: The Core. McGraw-Hill, 2024 Release. 9781266278907.

Other Learning Materials

Instructors may provide supplementary materials.

Business (Masters Required)

Marketing (Masters Required)