MARKETING MANAGEMENT SEMINAR

SEMINAR FORMAT:
Seminars are less structured learning environments. Rather than mastering a subject in sequential order (in chunks, if you will) as is often appropriate in a basic course in accounting or economics, the fundamental learning strategy of the seminar format is based on problem solving and the discovery that occurs individually as well as a result of interaction with others in the course. Typical benefits include improvement in one's ability to efficiently evaluate marketing situations, identify critical problems and develop reasonable approaches to solving them. Additional results include an expansion of knowledge based on the existing framework students bring to the course and the enhancement of self confidence that accompanies success in dealing with practical marketing problems. Students often report a sense that the pieces are falling into place in the latter weeks of the course.

Payoffs are greatest for students who enter the course with a strong basic background in marketing plus the related functional areas and who immerse themselves in the readings and case materials in the course. More so than in other pedagogical formats, the learning benefits in a seminar are a function of the background students bring to the course and their willingness to invest time and effort in it. It is important to note that to the extent that these conditions are not met, students are likely to be uneasy with seminars.

OBJECTIVES:
Students should work to accomplish the following objectives:
1. To expand their existing base of knowledge and skills in marketing with special emphasis on planning, strategy and implementation. Additional material will be available as time permits in the areas of product policy, pricing, advertising/promotion and distribution.
2. To integrate and apply skills and knowledge learned in other marketing and core business courses.
3. To acquire and enhance problem solving skills through the careful analysis of marketing situations, the development of reasoned, analytic solutions to marketing problems and to practice defending them in an articulate manner before one's peers.
4. To learn to learn independently, i.e., to be exposed to the conceptual and descriptive literature of marketing and to use it as a resource for continuing professional education.

COURSE COMPONENTS:
To achieve these objectives, the course is organized in the seminar format and provides four types of activities: readings from the classical and recent literature, case assignments, a computer simulation and an opportunity to sharpen one's understanding in the exchange inherent in seminars.

READINGS:
The required readings are listed in the assignment sheet. They are on reserve in the Oviatt Library (Kirchner, D. (Ed.), 2002) and are also available on line via library resources. Note that the reading list is updated in the fall semester of each academic year. Annual changes range from 20% to 35% of the references. Study guides have been developed for each article and are available on HyperNews (see below). Three scheduled quizzes and a final examination are based entirely on this material; the final exam is comprehensive. Note: The exams in this course are computer supported, i.e., students write exams in a lab assigned for that purpose on each of the examination dates. To familiarize students with this procedure as well as the test format, sample exams will be provided on the web several weeks prior to each exam date. Bring blue books and a pen in event of a network failure.

HYPERNEWS:
HyperNews is a valuable on line study tool to assist students individually as well as collectively to absorb the ideas in the readings. Weekly participation is required. A demonstration of this technology is scheduled for the second class week.

CASES:
A series of challenging cases has been assigned covering major marketing management decision areas. They deal with problems facing both large and small firms in the consumer and industrial goods arenas, both foreign and domestic.

Students are assigned in pairs to assume primary responsibility for analysis and recommendations concerning the circumstances in a case. Both written and oral recommendations are to be presented and defended before the class with subsequent revisions submitted in a final report. A methodology for case solution will be discussed in class; a demonstration case will be presented for the benefit of those students unfamiliar with this approach.

Case Choice: Primary case assignments are made from a list that will be submitted to the class during the first week of the semester. Students should identify three ranked choices from this list by the end of the second class week. Assignments will be based on a decision rule which attempts to maximize the number of first choices for the class as a whole. Students may submit case choices in tandem and are advised to seek a partner of known reliability.

Case Procedure: Given the case assignment, students, at their option, may consult with the instructor to obtain insight as to the major issues involved. They are expected to submit a preliminary report of their analysis, recommendations and supporting rationale one week prior to the date of their oral presentation with sufficient copies to accommodate all class members. The preliminary report should be developed in sufficient detail to clarify and justify major and subsidiary recommendations. It is particularly important that all numeric work be clearly shown. A wide range of audio/visual support is available although electronic presentation using Powerpoint or equivalent is highly recommended. One-day notice is required.

Case Summaries: Class members not presenting are expected to have thoroughly analyzed each case as well as the recommendations of the presenters, and be prepared with questions, comments and suggestions for improvement of the solution as may be warranted. A one page summary of each case is to be prepared by each student and will be submitted on the day of the presentation. A summary of the demo case is available. Late summaries are not accepted. Case summaries are a major component of the class participation grade and enter the grading system as follows:

1. All submitted summaries are recorded.
2. A 20% sample of the summaries of each class will be graded.
3. The case summary grade will be calculated as the mean of all those graded for each student.

Normal penalty for late preliminary reports is two grades for each late day; one grade per day for late final reports. Penalty for failure to include numerical analysis in the outline will depend on its relationship to the solution, but no less than two full grades. The flow chart below indicates the recommended case time line:

Grading: Case work contributes 25% to the semester grade. Half is awarded on the quality of the initial solution as contained in the preliminary report; the remaining half is based on the quality of the strategic and tactical recommendations as reflected in the final report. Grades are assigned as a result of the team effort and apply equally to each participant.

COMPUTER SIMULATION:
A computer simulation provides students with "hands on" experience in the manipulation of the key variables in the marketing mix. Details of the game and its operation will be explained in class and are also available in the student manual available from the CSUN bookstore (James, Kinnear & Deighan, 2001).

The game is played by students acting as a firm's marketing management team. Students make decision sets consisting of strategic and tactical adjustments to the marketing mix. Four to six firms compete in each class (industry). Each firm consists of three to five student executives. Firm assignments will be made during the second week of class by a random process.

Game play begins the second week of class with several practice decisions followed by one decision set per week for ten weeks. Decision deadlines are set for each section by class consensus. Late submission penalty is the default setting. No decisions are required during the last week of the semester.

Reports: Each student firm is required to submit a set of objectives during the first week of play. In addition, weekly results in the form of computer generated financial statements are to be completed after each iteration and submitted by the established deadline. An administrative report is also required weekly.

These forms and others will ultimately become part of the summary report to be submitted by each student firm at the end of the semester. The summary reports consist of three parts:
1) A one+ paragraph summation of the strategy and rationale for each decision set, except for the first two practice sessions;
2) The decision forms and financial results forms completed at each iteration.
3) An analytic appendix consisting of work such as market segmentation and opportunity analysis, competitive tracking, forecasting, or response function estimation that may be indicative of the quality of the decisions.
The final summary report must be turned in by each firm at the last class meeting of the fourteenth class week. Late reports will earn a one grade penalty per day.

Grading: The simulation contributes 25% to the final course grade; 60% of this is based on the accumulation of retained earnings in comparison with other firms in the industry. The remaining 40% is based on an assessment of the quality of each firm's decision making as indicated in the final report. Final grades assume a team effort and apply equally to all members.

CLASS PARTICIPATION:
The major benefit of a seminar stems from the opportunity to learn through the interaction and exchange of views with other members of the class. A productive seminar and team effort requires that all participants be well prepared for each meeting. Fifteen percent of the course grade is awarded according to each student's contribution to the seminars, and is based mainly on evidence of preparation and active participation in class as well as the case summaries. Students should understand that participation without adequate preparation is largely counter productive. Because the instructor is not likely to be informed regarding weekly contributions of individual team members, peer evaluation will weigh heavily in the determination of class participation grades. Students are reminded that thorough preparation, attendance at team meetings and active contribution are likely to impress one's colleagues. The following grading scale applies:

The class participation grade is also based on the each student's contribution to the simulation and to the preparation and presentation of the case.

ATTENDANCE, PROFESSIONAL & ETHICAL BEHAVIOR:
Attendance is required! Consistent with the CSUN Conduct Code, it is expected that students will behave in a mature, courteous and ethical manner. The most elementary standards of courteous behavior require arrival in class on time as well as abstinence from the following activities: reading newspapers or magazines; partaking of meals, drinks or snacks; completing homework for this or any other course; socializing or casual conversation. Except for medical emergencies, leaving class before its conclusion is rude, unacceptable behavior. In rare instances where it might be necessary, the instructor as well as student presenters should be notified before the class begins.