Marketing Principles MK 204
J. E. Cairnes School of
Business & Economics
MARKETING PRINCIPLES [MK 204]
Semester 1
- Course Outline Objective
Lecturer(s)
Times
The objective of this course is to introduce students who have not formally studied
marketing before, to the key marketing concepts and their application in both an Irish
and international context.
Name
Office
Ext
E-mail
Ms. Orla
Higgins
Room 305 JE
Cairnes School
of Business
orla.higgins@nuigalway.ie
Day
Time
Venue
Lecture
Wednesday
5-6 p.m.
AC 202, Concourse
Lecture
Thursday
2-3 p.m.
Tyndall Theatre
Upon completion of this course you will be able to:
Overall Learning
Outcomes
Format
Programme(s)
Assessment
Workload
Core Text

Understand the fundamentals of marketing theory and how they are practiced
and applied by market leaders globally;

Acknowledge the role marketing plays in the success of businesses in Ireland
and internationally;

Understand the relevance of the elements of the marketing mix;

Recognise the importance of effective market research;

Critique the impact of external influences on the marketplace;

Demonstrate an insight into Consumer Buyer Behaviour;

Identify ways in which markets can be segmented;

Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing communication channels and tools
relative to desired outcomes.
The are 24 lectures for this course: 2 per week for 12 weeks.
There will also be 2 guest speaker slots (TBC)
BIS; Fourth Year Industrial Engineering; Fourth Year Information Technology;
Diploma in Business Studies; Corp. Law & Visiting Students.
Continuous Assessment
50%
End of Year Examination
50%
Credit weighting:
5 ECT
Students Need Their Own Copy.
Kotler, Philip & Armstrong, Gary. Principles of Marketing (13th edition), Pearson, Global
Edition.
Supplementary Text(s):
As university students, you are expected to read widely to become knowledgeable about your subjects. It is
essential that you have read the relevant chapters ahead of each lecture. Lecturers will refer to, but not simply
repeat, what is contained in your required textbook. Instead lecturers will develop, augment and challenge the
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concepts in your textbook and as appropriate will provide Irish/European examples of marketing practice. While
your textbook is comprehensive, you should read relevant sections of other leading textbooks, relevant articles in
business and marketing journals such as the Harvard Business Review, the European Journal of Marketing, the
Journal of Marketing and the business supplements from the daily newspapers. For example other texts for you
to consider include:
 Principles & Practice of Marketing : David Jobber
 Marketing – An Introduction for Irish Students : Donal Rogan
 Marketing: Real People, Real Choices : Solomon, Marshall & Stuart.
Students are expected to read all course material assigned in advance of class.
Date
Readings + Learning Outcomes
September Course Introduction
8, 2010
Chapter 1: Marketing – Creating & Capturing Customer Value.

Define marketing and outline the steps in the marketing process

Explain the importance of understanding customers and the marketplace, and identify the 5 core
marketplace concepts
September 
9
Identify the key elements of a customer-driven marketing strategy and discuss the marketing
management orientations that guide marketing strategy

Discuss customer relationship management

Describe the major trends and forces that are changing the marketing landscape in this age of
relationships
Chapter 3: Analysing the Marketing Environment
September
15

Describe the environmental forces that affect the company’s ability to serve its customers

Explain how changes in the demographic and economic environments affect marketing
decisions

Identify the major trends in the firm’s natural and technological environments

Explain the key changes in the political and cultural environments

Discuss how companies can react to the marketing environment
Chapter 4: Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights

September 
16

Explain the importance of information in gaining insights about the marketplace and customers
Define the marketing information system and discuss its parts
Outline the steps in the marketing research process

Explain how companies analyze and use marketing information

Discuss the special issues some marketing researchers face including public policy and ethics
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issues
Chapter 5: Consumer Markets & Consumer Buyer Behaviour
Delivered by Topic Expert Ann Walsh, Department of Marketing

September 
22


Define the consumer market and construct a simple model of consumer buyer behaviour
Name the four major factors that influence consumer buyer behaviour
List and define the major types of buying decision behaviour and the stages in the buyer decision
process
Describe the adoption and diffusion process for new products
September
Industry Guest Speaker - TBC
23
Chapter 6: Business Markets & Business Buyer Behaviour
Delivered by Topic Expert Ann Walsh, Department of Marketing

September 
29


Define the business market and explain how business markets differ form consumer markets
Identify the major factors that influence business buyer behaviour
List and define the steps in the business buying decision process
Compare the institutional and government markets and explain how institutional and
government buyers make their buying decisions
September
Industry Guest Speaker - TBC
30
Chapter 7: Customer-Driven Marketing Strategy – Creating Value for Target Customers
Delivered by Topic Expert Ann Walsh, Department of Marketing
October 6
&7

Define the major steps in designing a customer-driven marketing strategy: market segmentation,
targeting, differentiation and positioning

List and discuss the major bases for segmenting consumer and business markets

Explain how companies identify attractive market segments and choose a market-targeting
strategy

Discuss how companies differentiate and position their products for maximum competitive
advantage in the marketplace
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Chapter 8: Products, Services & Brands – Building Customer Value
October
13

Define product and the major classifications of products and services

Describe the decisions companies make regarding their individual products and services, product
lines and product mixes

Discuss branding strategy – the decisions companies make in building and managing their
brands

Identify the four characteristics that affect the marketing of a service and the additional
marketing considerations that services require
Chapter 8 (contd.)
Chapter 9: New-Product Development & Product Life-Cycle Strategies
October
14

Describe the stages of the product life cycle and how marketing strategies change during the
product’s life cycle

Discuss two additional product issues: socially responsible product decisions and international
product and services marketing
Chapter 10: Pricing – Understanding & Capturing Customer Value
October
20
October
21

Answer the question ‘What is a price?” and discuss the importance of pricing in today’s fastchanging environment

Discuss the importance of understanding customer value perceptions when setting prices

Discuss the importance of company and product costs in setting prices

Identify and define the other important external and internal factors affecting a firm’s pricing
decisions
Chapter 10 (contd.)
Chapter 12: Marketing Channels: Delivering Customer Value
October
27

Explain why companies use marketing channels and discuss the functions these channels
perform

Discuss how channel members interact and how they organise to perform the work of the
channel

Identify the major channel alternatives open to the company
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
Explain how companies select, motivate, and evaluate channel members

Discuss the nature and importance of marketing logistics and integrated supply chain
management
Chapter 14: Communicating Customer Value – Integrated Marketing Communications
Strategy
October
28

Define the 5 promotion mix tools for communicating customer value

Discuss the changing communications landscape and the need for integrated marketing
communications

Outline the communications process and the steps in developing effective marketing
communications

Explain the methods for setting the promotion budget and factors that affect the design of the
promotion mix
Chapter 15: Advertising & Public Relations
November
3

Define the role of advertising in the promotion mix

Describe the major decisions involved in developing an advertising program

Define the role of public relations in the promotion mix

Explain how companies use public relations to communicate with their publics
November Chapter 15 (contd.)
4
Chapter 16: Personal Selling & Sales Promotion
November
10

Discuss the role of a company’s salespeople in creating value for customers and building
customers relationships

Identify and explain the six major sales force management steps

Discuss the personal selling process, distinguishing between transaction-oriented marketing and
relationship marketing

Explain how sales promotion campaigns are developed and implemented
Chapter 17: Direct & Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships
November 
11

Define direct marketing and discuss its benefits to customers and companies
Identify and discuss the major forms of direct marketing
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
Explain how companies have responded to the Internet and other powerful new technologies
with online marketing strategies

Discuss how companies go about conducting online marketing to profitably deliver more value
to customers

Overview the public policy and ethical issues presented by direct marketing
November
Chapter 17 (contd.)
17
Chapter 19: The Global Marketplace

November 
18


Discuss how the international trade system and the economic, political-legal, and cultural
environments affect a company’s international marketing decisions
Describe three approaches to entering international markets
Explain how companies adapt their marketing mixes for international markets
Identify the 3 major forms of international marketing organisation
Chapter 20: Sustainable Marketing – Social Responsibility & Ethics

Define sustainable marketing and discuss its importance

Identify the major social criticisms of marketing
November

24
Define consumerism and environmentalism and explain how they affect marketing strategies

Describe the principles of sustainable marketing

Explain the role of ethics in marketing
November 25 Course Review & Examination Preparation
Course Material
Once you have registered for the course you will be able to access lecture notes and
assignments via http://blackboard.nuigalway.ie
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