BUSINESS ANALYSIS FOR MARKET-BASED MANAGEMENT (MBA 623)
PROFESSOR:
Dr. Douglas W. Vorhies, Ph.D.
OFFICE ADDRESS:
North Holman 327
PHONE:
(662) 915-1351 – Office
E-MAIL:
dvorhies@bus.olemiss.edu (preferred)
CLASS HOURS:
6:00 pm Monday (Conner 110).
OFFICE HOURS:
3:00-4:00 pm Monday and Wednesday. Other times by appointment.
TEXT:
Best, Roger (2008), Market-Based Management 5th Ed, Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson-Prentice Hall.
CASES:
Available through Harvard Business School Publishing (HBSP)
READINGS:
Available through Harvard Business School Publishing (HBSP)
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Market Based Management investigates the development of the market-driven strategies and processes
needed to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive business
environment. Students will develop an understanding of product-market selection, investment decisions
and implications, functional strategies needed to compete in selected product-markets, and strategic
assets, skills, knowledge, and capabilities needed to provide a sustainable competitive advantage.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will develop an in-depth understanding of the vital role strategic market management plays in
developing a sustainable competitive advantage for today’s businesses. The focus for students in the
class will be on developing and understanding of the conceptual domain of strategic market
management which includes relevant aspects of business strategy and functional marketing strategy.
2. Students will develop an in-depth understanding of strategic marketing’s guiding theories through their
preparation of the course texts, assigned readings, cases and through preparation for the final exam.
3. Students will develop and enhance analytical skills and business communication skills through analysis,
written preparation and discussion of text, cases and assigned readings.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
The School of Business Administration upholds honor and academic integrity in all of its teaching, research,
and service activities. All business faculty, staff, and students are charged with the responsibility to behave
with personal and professional integrity and to refrain from dishonorable conduct.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES:
1. TEXT AND READINGS: The Roger Best text and all assigned readings from various sources are an
important part of your preparation for the cases and the exams. Each student should read the material
assigned with an eye toward understanding the theory and how these theories relate to the case
analyses.
2. MID TERM EXAM: Exam covering text material exclusively.
3. FINAL EXAM: The comprehensive final exam will cover theory developed in the course and will include
the assigned articles and cases.
4. CASES: A major focus for this class are the case assignments (see the handout on Case Reports).
These are team assignments. You will choose your team and you should have 5 students per team.
Each team is responsible for completing three team case reports using the assigned format for the dates
they are assigned in the class schedule. Each team case report is limited to 15 pages (double spaced
with a 12 point Roman font and 1 inch-page margins) including exhibits such as pro-forma financial
statements, organizational charts, etc.
Cases are available from Harvard Business School Publishing at this link:
http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/relay.jhtml?name=cp&c=c24832
To get the Harvard Online Course materials you need to register as a new user (unless you already
have registered). The Harvard Online Course may ask you for a "Reference ID" That number is
“c24832”. Then just click "Add to my Courses" and you'll be able to purchase the class materials with
your credit card.
5. MARKETING PLAN REPORT AND PRESENTATION: Students will perform an industry, competitor and
market analysis and prepare a marketing plan project for an opportunity of the student’s choosing. To
perform this project, students will work in small groups and will be required to perform a complete
industry, competitor and market analysis for an opportunity approved by the instructor. Following the
industry, competitor and market analysis, students will develop a marketing plan for the opportunity.
Development of the industry, competitor market analysis and market plan report is worth 100 points. In
addition, a presentation of your findings will be made in the final two weeks of the semester. The
presentation is worth 50 points.
GRADING: Grades will be determined by your performance in the following areas:
Class Activities and Assignments:
Marketing Plan Project and Presentation
Team Case Reports (3 at 50 pts each)
Mid Term
Final Exam
Class Participation and Peer Evaluation
Total Points (these may change)
Points
150
150
150
150
100
------700
Final letter grades will be given according to the following point schedule:
A = 92 %
A- = 90 %
B+ = 89 %
B = 82 %
B- = 80 %
C+ = 79 %
C = 70 %
D = 60 %
F = Below 59 %
Grades will be determined based on the criteria listed above. To be fair to other students, individual concerns
cannot be taken into consideration in determining grades. Your performance on the above class elements is
the sole determining factor of your grade in the class. The best route to success in this class is to attend
every class, participate in the discussions and complete all assigned work.
TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE
Date
Topic
Text
Cases and Readings
8-25
Introduction to Course
Marketing plan assignment
Traditional Views of Strategy and
Competitive Advantage.
Select Teams (8) 5 Students each.
9-1
Labor Day
See assignments for 9-8
9-8
Customer Focus and Managing
Customer Loyalty
Chp 1
Marketing Performance and
Marketing Profitability
Chp 2
Case Discussion: Matching Dell (HBSP)
Leaders: All teams.
Article: “Marketing Strategy:
How it Fits with Business
Strategy”
This article is available as a
download from Harvard
Business School Publishing
(HBSP).
9-15
9-22
9-29
Market Potential, Market
Demand, and Market Share
Chp 3
Case Discussion: Nortel – Customer Value
Measurement (HBSP)
The Customer Experience and
Value Creation
Chp 4
Leaders: Teams 1 & 2
Market Segmentation and
Segmentation Strategies
Chp 5
Case Discussion: Hewlett Packard’s Home
Products Division in Europe (HBSP)
Competitor Analysis and Sources
of Advantage
Product Positioning, Branding
and Product Line Strategies
Chp 6
Leaders: Teams 3 & 4
Chp 7
Case Discussion: Kingsford Charcoal
(HBSP)
Value Based Pricing and Pricing
Strategies
Chp 8
Leaders: Teams 5 & 6
Chp 9
Case Discussion: TIVO 2007 DVRs and
Beyond (HBSP)
Article: Customer Centered
Brand Management (HBSP)
Article: Brand Report Card
(HBSP)
10-6
Marketing Channels and
Channel Mapping
Chp 10
Marketing Communications and
Customer Response
Leaders: Teams 7 & 8
10-13
Portfolio Analysis and Strategic
Market Planning
Chp 11
Offensive Strategies
Chp 12
Defensive Strategies
Chp 13
Building a Marketing Plan
Chp 14
Case Discussion: Product Portfolio Planning
at Estonia’s Saku Brewery (HBSP)
Leaders: Teams 1 & 2
10-20
Mid Term
10-27
Performance Metrics and
Strategy Implementation
Chp 15
Market-Based Management and
Financial Performance
Chp 16
Case Discussion: (HBSP)
Leaders: Teams 3 & 4
11-3
Developing Strategic Marketing
Plans
Case Discussion: Rolm and Hass (A): New
Product Marketing Strategy (HBSP)
Leaders: Teams 5 & 6
11-10
11-17
Strategic Marketing Plan
Implementation
Case Discussion: Matrix Semiconductor Inc
(A): Tackling Challenges of Strategic
Dimensions (HBSP)
Article: Making your Marketing
Strategy Work (HBSP)
Leaders: Teams 7 & 8
Presentation of Marketing Plan *
Group 1:
Group 2:
Group 3:
Group 4:
11-24
Thanksgiving
12-1
Presentations of Marketing Plan *
Group 5:
Group 6:
Group 7:
Group 8:
12-8
Finals Week -
* Papers are due when you present.
Final Exam is on Wed 12-10 at 7:30.