Providing technologically progressive programs and services designed to enhance the skills and competencies of university students and working professionals in the five-county region.

We achieve this through a variety of flexible partnerships, programs, and scholarship within a "second circle" model that bridges the university and the domestic and international community.

This course is intended to develop the students' understanding of and skill and experience in formulating and planning marketing strategies. As such, the focus of the course is strategic. The course seeks to integrate the knowledge gained from courses in such fields as Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management and Marketing in the design of marketing strategies for various stages of the product life cycle, including strategies for entry, growth, and defending a brand's position. The course is taught from a managerial perspective and will provide the student with the skills required to make informed decisions concerning the selection of target markets and the strategies best suited to capitalize on identifiable market opportunities. Environmental issues and ethics and social responsibility will be viewed with respect to the marketing functions. While tactical elements play an important role in marketing they will receive much less attention, as the focus will be on strategic intent.

The course material consists of a mix of readings, online lectures notes, and cases. The readings summarize the theory of strategic marketing, drawing heavily on research in marketing and relevant work in management science and economics. Topics include competitive analysis and decision-making, industry analysis, and models of competition and strategy. Cases follow the readings and lecture section of the course. In addition to giving students actual experience in formulating competitive strategies, the cases are selected to illustrate both marketing theory and its application. The major objective of the cases is to provide students with the opportunity to discuss emerging issues in marketing as they influence marketing strategy. It time permits, a computer simulation game will be used to further illustrate marketing theory and its application.

This is an INTERNET COURSE. This means that the course will be offered wholly on the Internet. As such, an independent study format will generally be used. The text, reading and other online materials will be broken up into modules. Accordingly, each week's materials will be presented in one or more modules. (Please review the browser information on the web site. You may also want to test your online skills by working through the online tutorial provided).

This is an intensive course and you must keep up if you are to complete the course during the semester. The course is divided into two sections.

• The first section of the course will cover readings designed to prepare you to effectively analyze marketing cases (6 weeks). Therefore, I advise that you read early and read a lot so that you will have the tools required to address the assigned cases that will come later.
• The second half of the course will focus on a number of cases analyses. The first two cases will be done individually. For the other cases, students will be divided into groups and required to prepare in-depth case analyses. Since this is an Internet course, you may want to use a communication program such as WebCT Chat or AOL's Instant Messenger, and e-mail to facilitate your virtual group meetings. If time permits, a marketing simulation game may be introduced to enable students to make a number of marketing decisions while competing against other members of the class.

For most of you, this is the final marketing course that will you will take in the MBA program. Accordingly, the course is designed to provide you with the skills required to manage the marketing aspect of a business. Therefore, you are expected to make marketing decisions from the perspective of the decision-maker.

Each week the instructor will address any problems that you may have experienced with the material. A discussion of the issues and subject matter will be prompted by but not confined to the questions and issues assigned for the class or by student questions. Student questions, comments, and or observations should be posted on the class Web Board and will form one aspect of the participation element of the classroom experience. Web Board discussions will be prompted by but not confined to the material and thoughts contained within specific assignments or assigned readings.

Each student is required to actively participate in the Web Board aspect of the class experience. It is important that your Web Board participation be reflective of the materials from the modules, the assigned textbook chapters and outside readings. In graduate classes, most learning should occur outside the classroom. The Web Board sessions should be regarded as an opportunity to put the pieces of your "marketing knowledge" together in a meaningful and coherent manner. Feel free to bring discussion points, cloudy issues, or answers to the attention of the class by posting those issues on the Web Board.

Case analyses and reports make-up the primary assignments in this course. A series of case problems will be utilized to enable students to grasp and develop the skills required for marketing decision-making. Students will be required to prepare written reports on the assigned cases. Students are also required to fully participate in Web Board discussions.

Students will prepare a WRITTEN presentation of a number of cases. The written case report should be typed and double-spaced. Such reports should reflect careful analysis, logical synthesis, and attention to every element of the assignment.

The case summary (along with applicable quantitative analysis) is to be turned in via e-mail by the due date. During the class chat sessions, students will be called upon to present their ideas or to comment on specific points. The participation grade will be derived from the quality of a student's response to these inquiries as well as general participation in chat room OR Web Board discussions.

Response to Student Communication and Assignments

As a policy, I will attempt to respond to your communication and questions within 72 hours. Therefore, it is important that you plan your work so that you can obtain your responses in a timely manner. In every instance I will attempt to return assignments within one week. However, given the relative size of the class, it may take as long as two weeks for me to grade your assignments.

• Differentiate between and discuss the elements of marketing.
• Identify and discuss the elements of the environment and their relationship to the practice of marketing.
• Conduct opportunity analysis (market segmentation) and target marketing.
• Differentiate between the concepts of mass marketing, segmentation, target marketing, differentiation and positioning.
• Identify and develop marketing segmentation strategies
• Evaluate and manage the marketing research process
• Assess the financial aspects of marketing decisions
• Develop and manage the integrated market communications strategy
• Develop comprehensive marketing programs
• Discuss the strategies open to firms for operating in competitive environments
• Identify and discuss the elements and models that are useful to the process of developing effective market strategy
• Conduct the strategic analysis needed for developing market strategy
• Identify and discuss some of the alternative business strategies that are effective in the development of market strategies.