BUSML 7194 (GROUP STUDIES):
MEANING, BRANDING & IDENTITY
Professor:
Office:
Contact:
Office Hours:
Dr. Deborah Mitchell
512 Fisher Hall
mitchell.1120@osu.edu
(614) 531-9995 (call or text)
Monday 5:15 – 5:45 pm and by appointment
Course Overview
Common wisdom says you need a great brand—whether it’s your company, your product, or
YOU—in order to motivate employees, stand out in customers’ minds and win in the marketplace.
The practice of branding has seen an explosion in activity and interest over the last 15 years. We
hear of “cult” brands, brand communities, employee brands, brands as “lovemarks” and so on.
Yet, today there is also incredible frustration across the for-profit as well as non-profit sectors, and
among employees as well as consumers. Many organizations and individuals face an identity crisis.
Employees, consumers are questioning the meaning and value of their activities, affiliations and
performance. Customers hold jaded views of companies’ mission statements as compared to the
actual service delivery they experience. With the exception of a few iconic brands, most products
are viewed increasingly as commodities. Loyalty to one’s employer has never been lower, as
individuals are encouraged to brand themselves and manage their careers as independent agents.
Perhaps worst of all, “Business Ethics” has come to be viewed by many as an oxymoron.
What can one do to reverse these trends? This course will provide the answer, with a systemsbased approach as reflected in Professor Mitchell’s upcoming book, “Becoming Brandwoven™.”
This book integrates leading academic research and best practices by notable organization to
create an actionable framework that has already been widely adopted in several firms.
According to the Brandwoven™ approach, to create lasting meaning and impact you must
integrate “Think” (key beliefs), “Feel” (key emotional connections), “Say” (communications by
and about your organization), and “Do” (key activities and experiences), both inside and outside
your business. Your brand can and should be the common thread that weaves these four
elements. Acting as more than just a logo, your brand should be the catalyst and container for
living out your unique identity. Making it happen is not the responsibility of just the marketing
department, your advertising agency or a few individuals. Rather, managers across the entire
organization must address the creation and management of this dynamic brand.
Many books, courses and seminars have addressed how to manage one or more of the four
elements, but no one has adequately identified how to manage them as a system. This course will
pinpoint and analyze firms that are Brandwoven™, highlight key features of each “weave,” and
provide specific tools and processes for how you can go beyond simple branding and instead
transform your entire organization. Already offered within the Fisher Executive MBA program to
student acclaim, this is the first time the course will be available to Fisher Working Professional
MBA students.
©2015 Deborah Mitchell
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PLEASE NOTE:
You are all consumers, and therefore you have implicit theories about how marketing works (or doesn’t work
These theories might be true for you, but are not an adequate basis for strategic decision making in an
organization unless you are the organization’s only customer! You are probably not the target audience for
every organization we will study, so you have to be careful to avoid thinking that what YOU want or believe is
what the actual target audience wants / believes.
Similarly, you all are working professionals, with supervisors as well as (in many cases) direct reports, so
you have implicit theories about how leadership works (or doesn’t work). Your own experience will be an
important input to discussions about leadership, and will be a key contributor to the development of your
“Personal Creed” within this course. However, we will not rely solely on personal experience in developing a
working model of values-based leadership. The best of academic research as well as industry practice will
be brought to bear in developing our understanding of how values-based leaders lead, and what sets them
(and their organizations) apart from others.
Course Materials
Course Packet: Cases in particular offer an opportunity for practical application of the concepts
introduced through lectures and readings. Using cases also has the benefits of (1) giving the class a
common knowledge base for discussion, and (2) enabling each student to develop a “mental map” of
market-based decision making.
The cases used in this course span a range of industries, products, and company contexts. These cases
are unique in that they describe highly challenging, yet generic, marketing and management problems
which actual firms had to deal with at particular points in time. The challenge and the ultimate learning
follow from analyzing the situation as it existed for the firm at that particular time. As such, hindsight is
not admissible evidence in case analysis. The main purpose of using cases is to conduct analysis, not to
build a collection of facts about industries, firms and products.
Books: Two books are required for this course (available for purchase in both new and used formats as
well as Kindle at amazon.com):
Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic: Inside One of the Worlds Most Admired Service Organizations
by Leonard Berry and Kent Seltman (May 19, 2008)
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh (Jun 7, 2010)
Additional Readings: On occasion, optional business press readings related to course topics may be
posted on Carmen.
Course Administration
Email and text are the most reliable ways to contact me. I have given you my cell number, which you are
free to use for calls between 9:00 am and 9:00 pm EST and as a way to send a text message to me any
time. Please don’t hesitate to call or text me if you need me. If you would like to set up a face-to-face
appointment for any reason, just let me know and we can get together. (Please note: do not leave any
voicemail messages in my office voicemail as I do not use it and seldom check it.)
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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Bases for Evaluation and Feedback
Assignment
1. Team Application Report
2. Individual Application Report
3. Class Participation
Weight
45%
40%
15%
(1) Team Application Report
45% of your final course grade will depend on the satisfactory completion of a report—for a firm or
organization of your team’s choosing—addressing (a) the 4 key elements of the “Brandwoven™
Tapestry” (Think, Feel, Say, Do) and (b) application of each primary branding tool covered in the course.
A suggested outline of the report is provided on the next page; additional details regarding suggested
format for your team deliverable will be provided in class.
(2) Individual Application Report
40% of your final course grade will be based on an application report in which you will describe how you
can/will apply the course framework and concepts to your own organization/situation.
(3) Class Participation
Your class participation, which will count 15% toward your final grade, will be based on engagement
and participation in class discussion.
Note: Participation and Engagement in Discussion
Each one of you is expected to attend class and contribute to class discussions when we meet as a
group.
To a large extent, learning in this class is related to your willingness to expose your insights and
viewpoints to the critical judgment of your classmates. Do not expect to do well in this course by simply
coming to class, taking notes, and synthesizing, recalling, or reproducing these notes for my evaluation
on a test. To do well, you must learn from active participation in class discussions. In evaluating your
participation, I use several criteria such as:

does the comment merely restate the facts or does it provide new insights?

does the comment add to our understanding of the issues or is it frivolous . . . an attempt to get "air
time" that day? (i.e., you have only one thing to say, and want to say it no matter how irrelevant it is to
the on-going discussion.)

is the comment timely and linked to the comments of others?

is the comment action-oriented, or simply a descriptive statement?

does the comment move the discussion along by giving a new perspective?

is the comment clear and concise, or obscure and rambling?

does the comment reflect a concern for maintaining a constructive and comfortable classroom atmosphere?
Clearly, I emphasize quality of participation a lot more than quantity. It is entirely possible that you can
participate a great deal and receive a low grade for class participation. (But also, and as a reminder, you
can’t participate if you are not in the classroom—so if your participation is great when you are present, but
you miss class often—you will receive a low class participation score.)
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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One final note regarding amount of participation: If at any time you feel that you wish to participate
more—but feel that for some reason you are prevented from doing so—please let me know immediately
so that you and I can address the situation.
There is a distinct learning curve associated with case analyses, and experience suggests that you will
find it increasingly easy to participate in the discussion as the semester goes on. If, however, the idea of
speaking in front of a large class is discomforting, or if you have difficulties with participating due to the
pace of the discussion relative to your language skills, please let me know. I will be happy to work with
you to find solutions.
Final Grade Distribution
As required by Fisher College of Business and GPO policies, the distribution of final grades across all
students enrolled in BUSML 7194 must average approximately 3.5 or lower on a 4.0 scale. Past
experience indicates the likely modal grade for students in this class will be an “A-.”
Instructor Bio
Dr. Deborah Mitchell
Clinical Associate Professor
Deborah Mitchell has a unique background that combines academic and industry expertise.
She received her Ph.D. in Marketing and Behavioral Science from the University of Chicago and began her
academic career as a faculty member at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She has
held faculty positions at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and the Johnson Graduate
School of Management (Cornell). Prior to joining Fisher in 2015 she was a faculty member at the Wisconsin
School of Business (University of Wisconsin-Madison), where she taught various marketing courses and
was awarded “School of Business Teacher of the Year” by full-time MBA students two years in a row.
Deborah’s research has been published in the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer
Psychology and Journal of Advertising. In addition to her academic career, Deborah has worked closely
with industry leaders as president of Cypress Consulting, Ltd. Clients have included Time-Warner, CNN,
Bristol Meyers Squibb, General Motors, TIAA-CREF and Syngenta. Her consulting work has focused
heavily on brand-based change initiatives, with an emphasis on building brand and product management
excellence across a variety of organizations.
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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Class Schedule
(Summer Term)
First Meeting: Introduction to the Course
Week 1: Monday May 11
Topic: Introduction to the Brandwoven™ framework and Values-Based Organizations, Leaders
In-class Activity in lieu of Case
Formation of Teams
Part I: “Think” and “Feel”
Week 2: Monday May 18
Topic: Cult-like Cultures, Core Values and Purpose
Read: Mayo Ch 1 & 2; Zappos Ch 4 & 5
Week 3: Monday June 1
Topic: Value Creation
Read: balance of Mayo and Zappos books (skim if necessary)
Case: Internal Branding at Yahoo!:
Case: Strategy and Governance at Yahoo!
Week 4: Monday June 8
Topic: Personal Values and Core Purpose; Alignment
Read: Success Built to Last: Creating a Life that Matters; Success that Lasts
Case: HCL Technologies: Employees First, Customers Second
Week 5: Monday June 15
Topic: Brand Personality: Paths to Loyalty and Engagement
Case: IKEA Invades America
Case: PNC Financial: Grow Up Great
Part II: “Say” and “Do”
Week 6: Monday June 22
Topic: Meaning and External Communications
Case: Creating a Corporate Identity for a $20 Billion Dollar Startup (Lucent)
Week 7: Monday July 6
Topic: Meaning & Internal Communications
Case: Caterpillar: Working to Establish One Voice
Week 8: Monday July 13
Topic: Meaning & Experience
Case: EuroDisney: the First 100 Days
Week 9: Monday July 20
Topic: Meaning & Channel Partners
Case: Ford Motor Company: Changing the Dealer Culture
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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Part III: Creating the “Weave”
Week 10: Monday July 27
Topic: Applications
Presentations by Two Teams (selected randomly prior to week 6)
Presentations of Personal Creeds (Last names A – L)
Week 11: Monday August 3
Topic: Applications and Course Wrap-Up
Presentations of Personal Creeds (Last names M – Z)
Due by 11:59 pm Monday August 3 (upload to appropriate Dropboxes):
 Team-based Application Report (Brandwoven™ Tapestry)
 Individual-based Application Report (Brandwoven™ Tapestry)
 Copy of Personal Creed
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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Meaning, Branding and Identity
Summer 2015
Prof. Deborah Mitchell
Preparation Guidelines for Application Reports
Structure, Content, Recommended Length (by section)
In your write-up, please provide the following for your chosen organization:
(1) ANALYSIS – describe current situation; identify strengths and limitations. (5-10 pages; bullets
can be used to help structure).
Think
 Core purpose
 Core values
 Ethical frame
 Employee value proposition
 Customer value proposition
Feel
 Brand personality
 Customer enthusiasm (loyalty & engagement)
 Employee enthusiasm (loyalty & engagement)
Say
 Brand identity elements (name, logo, tagline, jingle, color, cartoon character, etc.)
 External communications
 Internal communications
 Unplanned communications
Do
 Internal touchpoints (people, incentives, structure, supportive activities, culture)
 External touchpoints (employees and service delivery; physical plant and facilities; IT interface)
(2) RECOMMENDATIONS for one or more initiatives (3-5 pages)
(3) APPENDICES, EXHIBITS (include description and outputs of research activities)
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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BUSML 7194 (GROUP STUDIES):
MEANING, BRANDING & IDENTIDY
Professor:
Office:
Contact:
Office Hours:
Dr. Deborah Mitchell
512 Fisher Hall
mitchell.1120@osu.edu
(614) 531-9995 (call or text)
Thursday 5-5:30 pm & by appointment
Detailed Information for Class Preparation and Assignments
Case Preparation (General Info and Study Questions)
General Comments about Cases:
The cases for this course will be used as the foundation for discussion of the concepts and
ideas for each session. I have selected cases that are closely linked to the text and readings for
that class session, so it is probably most helpful for you to read the text and articles first, and
then read the case. The text and articles will help you establish the context for the case.
The cases must be analyzed at the time set forth in the narrative of the case. A case written in
1998, for example, cannot be solved with “smart phone apps,” as those did not exist in 1998.
Also, you should not do additional research on the firm or the industry. While some of you do
have specialized knowledge related to many of the cases, I try to keep as “level a playing field”
as possible. In other words, each of you should be able to competently analyze the cases,
regardless of your field or job title, using just the information in the case and the text and
articles.
What the organization actually did may not be relevant to our discussion. You never know
whether the organization made an optimal decision, or how the organization would have fared if
a different path was chosen. Therefore, there is no credit or reward given to those who do have
knowledge of the organization’s actual strategies. Don’t engage in any outside research about
the case.
As you have come to learn throughout your program, there is usually no right or wrong solution
to a case. The emphasis in this class is on using the concepts to justify your conclusions and
solutions. Your opinion as a consumer is seldom really helpful. Even if you are a member of the
target audience you are not the sole customer of the organization. Your opinion, when backed
up by information, data, concepts and models, is welcome. To that end, please pay close
attention to the quantitative data. And as you know, often, the devil is in the details.
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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Finally, don’t tackle a case with any pre-conceived notions of what the most effective strategy
might be. Consider the text and readings, consider the data and information in the case, and be
open to possibilities that your assumptions can be altered.
Case Preparation Questions:
Note, the issues listed below are NOT the only relevant issues for the case. However, these
issues are certainly important and by thinking about these issues you will be well prepared to
explore ALL the issues in the case. Please note that with all cases, you must evaluate the case
at the time it was written, using only the information available in the case. Assume you have all
data and information that was used by relevant decision-makers to plan strategy and tactics.
1. Internal Branding at Yahoo! (Monday June 1)
 How would you characterize the “Core Philosophy” (Purpose, Values) at the time of the
case?
 What is the Employee Value Proposition? Do you think it meets the criteria of being
meaningful, unique/competitive, feasible and sustainable? How does it “feed” the
presumed customer value proposition?
2. Strategy and Governance at Yahoo! (Monday June 1)
 How would you characterize the “Core Philosophy” (Purpose, Values) at the time of the
case?
 What is the Employee Value Proposition? Do you think it meets the criteria of being
meaningful, unique/competitive, feasible and sustainable? How does it “feed” the
presumed customer value proposition?
 What role does the “Core Philosophy” play vis-à-vis the Board’s actions? Is the Board
aligned with the Core Philosophy?
 Do you think Daniel Loeb’s criticism of the Yahoo! Board is justified?
 What strategic problems does Yahoo! face at the time of this case, and to what extent
are they exacerbated by the firm’s Core Philosophy (or lack thereof)?
3. HCL Technologies (Monday June 8)
 What is the “Core Philosophy” (Purpose Values) of HCL? To what extent is senior leadership’s
personal values reflected in this Philosophy? How are they / are they not related?
 Describe the employee and customer value propositions. To what extent is the firm’s
Core Philosophy related to these value propositions?
4. IKEA Invades America (Monday June 15)
 What is the IKEA brand? What are its core associations, what is its meaning?
 How is the brand’s meaning embodied in its products, stores, employees and advertising or
communications?
 To what extent is “design” a part of IKEA’s value proposition vs. its Core Philosophy?
5. PNC Financial: Grow Up Great (Monday June 15)
 What is the PNC brand, what is its meaning? To what extent is “Grow Up Great” part of its
value proposition vs. a reflection of Core Philosophy?
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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6. Creating a Corporate Identity for a $20 Billion Dollar Start-Up (Lucent) (Monday June 22)
 Is Lucent a “brand new company”?
 Evaluate the process used by the firm and Landor to define the meaning of this new
brand. What would you have done differently?
 How does one make customers believe that this is Lucent’s identity?
7. Caterpillar: Working to Establish One Voice (Monday July 6)
 What are the differences between “Identity” and “Voice” in this case?
 Why is it important to build the brand internally and externally here?
 Evaluate the brand-building approach described in this case. Would you do anything
differently?
8. EuroDisney: The First 100 Days (Monday July 13)
 Analyze the research process that led to the design of EuroDisney (pros, cons, etc.).
 What is the theme park “offering,” and what is the brand? Where does decisions about
“brand” end and those about service design take over?
9. Ford Motor Company: Changing Dealer Culture (Monday July 20)
 How is (or isn’t) the Ford brand reflected in customer experience within Ford dealers at
the time of the case?
 What should Ford do vis-à-vis their dealers to strengthen the Ford brand? What
constraints do they face?
2015 Deborah J. Mitchell
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THE STUDENT-PROFESSOR CONTRACT FOR LEARNING
THE STUDENT'S SIDE
- reading and synthesis of material outside of class
- the "4 P's" of class engagement:
1. Preparation
2. Presence
3. Promptness
4. Participation
THE PROFESSOR'S SIDE
- Preparation
- Concern and devotion to students
- Striving to make the course a satisfying development
experience.
©2015 Deborah Mitchell
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