UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY
Haas School of Business
EWMBA 206-1B: Mondays 6-9:30 pm Koret
Marketing Management Fall 2015
Instructor: Wasim Azhar
Phone: 510-642-6192, 408-306-9584; azhar@berkeley.edu
Office Hours: Thursdays 6-7 pm and by appointment Mondays 5-5:30 pm
Reader: Jasmin Young (jasmin.young@gmail.com)
EWMBA 206 is the core Marketing course in the EWMBA program.
The main course objectives are:
1. To introduce and develop concepts regarding the role of marketing in organizations.
2. To develop the basic concepts, tools and frameworks used in marketing to formulate
marketing strategy and implementation plans within the context of company goals.
3. To assist in learning how to apply these concepts and to practice making decisions
through case analysis.
4. To develop communication skills in articulating analyses and proposing, defending and
debating recommendations.
5. To improve presentation skills and provide opportunities to articulate and defend
positions via written assignments.
The overall theme of the course is to emphasize the process of thinking qualitatively,
quantitatively, and strategically regarding marketing situations, strategies and implementation
plans, using concrete, real-life practical examples drawn from actual business situations.
Course Materials
1. Text: Kotler and Keller: A Framework for Marketing Management 6th edition.
Prentice Hall
2. A reader containing the cases for the course available on study.net.
3. Case discussion questions to guide analysis of the cases.
Components of Final Course Grade:
20% Individual Class Participation
20% Individual Short write ups
Due 6pm 11/9 and 6pm 11/30
25% Group Mid-term (Take Home Case Analysis).
Due 6pm 11/23
25% Group Part of Final Exam (Take Home Case Analysis).
10% Individual Part of Final Exam
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Guidelines for Preparing the Cases:
To extract the maximum learning from class sessions, you need to prepare cases thoroughly for
class discussion. First prepare the case individually, going through the case more than once and
preparing notes for class. After your individual preparation, you will find it helpful to discuss
your analysis and recommendations in your formal or informal groups to further hone your
preparation.
While preparing the cases, consider the following questions:
What is the problem? Common marketing problems include: Should the firm enter or not enter
a business area [go-no go decisions], choice of entering one area versus another area (product
decisions; market decisions), which customer group(s) to target, how to retaliate against or attack
competition, how to position a brand, whether to conduct market research, and if so what type of
research to conduct, how to allocate the budget between various promotional media or sales,
decisions regarding changes or continuation in distribution channels, brand names, what price(s)
to charge, what type of advertising to run, media decisions, etc.
What are the decision alternatives? These are usually implicitly or explicitly provided in the
case, but you should feel free to go beyond those that are given. If not explicitly provided, then
develop some viable alternatives for consideration.
What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses? Examples of areas that could be strengths
or weaknesses include: brand name, customer franchise, human resources, superior technology,
capacity and costs of production, experience, suppliers, distribution channels, financials,
technology, and operations.
What are the environmental opportunities and threats? These include changes in the overall
environment, such as in the economy, socio-political climate, customer demographics,
government regulations, consumer attitudes, competitive environment and technology.
Assess the pros and cons of each of the decision alternatives against the backdrop of
company strengths and opportunities, keeping competitive considerations in mind.
Considerations may include quantitative analyses such as short-term and long-term breakeven
analysis, profitability of different decision paths, and sensitivity of profitability to various
scenarios depending on assumptions about uncertain variables such as market size and potential,
as well as qualitative analyses such as fit with the company strengths, fit with existing
opportunities, likelihood of competitive retaliation, etc.
What is your recommended course of action with supporting strategic rationale? What is
your proposed strategy and implementation plan? What do you think you will achieve through
the plan? What are the likely key bottlenecks, and how do you propose to overcome them or
ameliorate their effect?
Remember that as in most business situations, there is no single correct answer for case
situations. In most case discussions, participants can formulate and support several viable
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alternatives (answers). A key managerial skill to develop is the ability to think critically about
the rationale for each alternative and evaluate the pros/cons of pursuing competing alternatives
before reaching a decision.
Overall, analyze the situation, identify key issues/problems to tackle, identify various
options available, discuss the pros and cons of the options, decide on a strategy backed up
with cogent supporting rationale, and detail your implementation plan.
Class Participation
Participation enriches the quality of our classroom learning experience, and makes up a
significant portion of the grade. It also realizes the potential for learning from different
perspectives of the participants. For effective class participation, please comprehensively prepare
the assigned materials before the class session. The discussion questions and listing of key topics
are provided as a launching pad for your preparation, but you should try to go beyond them in
your analysis and recommendations as you discern important aspects in the situation while
delving deeper into the case. Case discussions are a crucial component of the learning process for
this course. Since the quality of case discussion is the collective responsibility of the entire class,
you should be prepared to contribute to every case discussion. I might "cold call" on students
asking questions about the assigned material and their opinions. If you have not been cold called
on, please raise your hand if you think you can contribute to the discussion. If you are
particularly well prepared for a session to contribute to class learning or have something
substantive to contribute to a particular case (e.g., because of prior knowledge of the company or
industry), please send me an email at least a day before the session.
After each case discussion, students will be graded as to whether or not they have effectively
participated in that session in adding to the class learning. Note that missing classes will hurt
your class participation grade. However, attending class and not participating will not at all
significantly enhance the grade.
Effective class participation includes:
1. Sharing analysis of the case and recommended action plan with supporting rationale;
2. Sharing related experiences or points of view with the class;
3. Building on points raised by other students;
4. Raising relevant issues and channeling the class to fruitful discussion areas for
managerial learning;
5. Relating and linking topics and issues being discussed to previous class discussions to
help build integrated frameworks and develop managerial learning;
6. Summarizing key takeaways from class discussion.
7. Contributing to overall class learning -- the more substantial the contribution, the higher
the class participation grade for the session.
I use a point scale for grading which will be posted on bCourses.
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Written Assignments
1) The midterm will comprise a comprehensive take-home group written analysis of a case
(WAC) which you will be expected to complete in collaboration with your group members.
Guidelines and instructions for the midterm WAC will be posted on bcourses.
2) There will also be 2 short take-home individual assignments which will be questions on cases
assigned to be discussed in class. Instructions are in the syllabus. The Haas honor code will
apply.
3) The final will consist of a group take-home case analysis and an individual take-home essay
question.
Other Protocol
1. A mutually supportive learning environment depends on active attention and
engagement. For this reason, the use of laptops, iPads, PDAs, phones and any other
electronics with on/off switches are not allowed during classroom sessions. While some
students like to use them for note-taking or other pursuits, the value of legitimate use of
laptops and mobile devices is far outweighed by the distraction that they create for their
classmates and the overall deleterious effect on the learning environment.
2. Please sit in the same seat that you take in the first class for the duration of the semester.
3. Please use your name card throughout the semester. This will assist in getting to know
you faster and keep our discussions moving efficiently as we cover material that multiple
students will want to comment on.
4. To prevent disruption in case discussions and gain the maximum from class sessions,
please come to class on time.
I look forward to learning with you this term.
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Course Outline
Week 1:
Monday, October 12th
THEMES: INTRODUCTION TO COURSE: SOME FRAMEWORKS
Readings:
Note on Marketing Strategy: HBS # 9-598-061
Market Segmentation, Target Market Selection, and Positioning HBS # 9-506-019
Kotler and Keller (KK): Ch 1: PP 12-15
Session 1 and 2:
Lecture Discussion: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning, Product/Brand Portfolio
Management
Week 2:
Monday, October 19th
THEMES: LAUNCHING NEW PRODUCTS; INTEGRATED MARKETING
COMMUNICATION; BRAND PORTFOLIOS
Readings:
Principles of Product Policy HBS # 9-506-018
Marketing Promotions HBS # 9-506-028
KK:Ch 6: PP 92-104; Ch 8: PP 121-134; Ch 15: PP 235-248
Session 1:
Case:
Aqualisa Quartz: Simply a Better Shower. HBS 9-502-030
Discussion Questions:
1. Evaluate the various customer segments for showers in the UK market. What are their
needs, sensitivities and purchase dynamics for showers? How do these differ across
segments (if at all)? Given your analysis of the segments, what should be the target
market(s) for Aqualisa’s showers?
2. Who are the competitors in the market that should most concern Aqualisa and how does
their presence affect your recommendation (if at all)? What counter measures re Product,
Promotion, Place and Pricing do you recommend to Aqualisa?
3. Evaluate the roles and importance of the various players in the market. Which players can
be Aqualisa's collaborators in the market? Why? How?
4. Evaluate Aqualisa's Brand and product portfolio strategies. What role does the Quartz
shower play in their existing product line? Compare the contribution to Aqualisa of
various products in its product line.
5. What value propositions does the Quartz offer customers? plumbers? retailers? In what
ways can these value propositions be supported, quantitatively and/or qualitatively?
6. Why isn’t the Aqualisa Quartz shower selling? What seems to be the main problem? Is it
the Product? Pricing? Advertising and promotion? The way the product is distributed?
The Aqualisa organization? Or is it something else? Explain in detail.
7. Evaluate the pros and cons of the various options being considered by Harry Rawlinson.
Which would you recommend out of these? Or would you recommend a mixture of the
strategies or something different? Provide specific rationale for your recommendations.
8. What overall marketing plan would you recommend to Harry Rawlinson in support of the
Aqualisa Quartz? Why?
Key Topics: Product Life Cycle; Advertising; Managing Brand Portfolios; Launching New
Products/Brands; Customer Segmentation
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Session 2:
Lecture Discussion: Advertising and Product/Brand Portfolio Management
Week 3:
THEMES:
Monday, October 26th
SERVICE MARKETING: CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION,
CUSTOMER LIFETIME VALUE
Readings:
KK; Ch 4: PP 53-64; Ch 7: PP 106-112; Ch 9: PP 139-143
Session 1:
Case:
Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service: HBS # 9-504-016
Discussion Questions:
1. What factors accounted for the extraordinary success of Starbucks in the early 1990s?
What was so compelling about the Starbucks value proposition? What brand image did
Starbucks develop during this period?
2. Why have customer satisfaction scores for Starbucks declined? What information can be
gleaned from the consumer research data?
3. Has the customer profile for Starbucks changed over the years? If so what opportunities
and problems does this create for Starbucks?
4. How has Starbucks evolved from its inception? Are the customer segments different in
terms of service demands and usage?
5. Describe the ideal Starbucks customer from the company’s viewpoint. What would it
take to ensure that this customer is highly satisfied? How valuable is a highly satisfied
customer to Starbucks?
6. Should Starbucks make the $40 million investment in labor in the stores? Why or why
not?
7. What actions should Starbucks take? Why?
Key Topics: Service Marketing; Segmentation, Positioning; Customer Lifetime Value
Session 2:
Lecture Discussion: Social Media Marketing
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Week 4:
THEMES:
Monday, November 2nd
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING; DISTRIBUTION
Readings:
Going to Market HBS # 9-599-078
KK: Ch 13: PP 197-211; Ch 14: PP 221-233; Ch 16: PP 250-258
Session 1:
Case:
Cisco Systems: Launching the ASR 1000 Series Router Using Social Media
Marketing. KEL # 580
Discussion Questions:
1. Evaluate the performance of the ASR 1000 launch campaign. What grade would you give
it? Why? What measurement metrics would you use to evaluate it? Why?
2. What lessons can be gleaned from the ASR 1000 launch?
3. How did the ASR 1000 launch alter Cisco's thinking regarding marketing
communications? Why?
4. How did Cisco assess the return on marketing investment from social media campaigns?
5. How well did Cisco link the value propositions of the products and the company to the
social media campaign?
6. Which companies do you think use social media effectively for B2C marketing? Which
companies apart from Cisco use social media effectively for B2B marketing? What are
the opportunities and challenges in using social media for marketing?
7. More recently how has the growth of companies such as Google, Facebook, Linked In,
Yelp affected Social Media as a Communication Channel?
8. How has the rise of Amazon affected the Distribution and retail channels?
Key topics:
Launching products using Social Media
Session 2:
Lecture Discussion: "Going-to-Market"
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Week 5:
THEMES:
Monday, November 9th
DISTRIBUTION AND SALES FORCE MANAGEMENT:
Readings:
KK: Ch 12: PP 191-205; Ch 17: PP 265-272
Session 1:
Guest Speaker.
Session 2:
Case:
Vocera Communications; Stanford E-152
Submit Individual assignment answering Q 2 and Q3 only by 6pm November 9th.
(Word document: 7 page limit including exhibits)
Discussion Questions:
1. If you are a VC who has been approached to invest in Vocera’s next round of financing,
what concerns do you have about the company’s choice to sell solely through the indirect
channel? What concerns do you have about its confining its sales to only two vertical
market segments?
2. What were the approximate costs (including channel discounts) involved in building
Vocera’s VAR channel? How do they compare with the costs involved in building a
direct sales force? Which is more cost effective? Or does it 'depend'? Explain.
3. What are the pros of cons of Vocera selling through indirect channels only? Direct only?
Dual distribution? What do you recommend ? Why?
4. What steps should Vocera take to deal with non-performing VARs? How should the
company deal with Ned Lindsay of Tek Integrators? Should management take a similar
approach with LAN Guys? How can Vocera mitigate the disadvantages of selling
indirectly?
5. Would you have made the same decision as Vocera (i.e., to sell through VARs rather than
build a direct sales model)? How should a company decide whether a direct or indirect
selling strategy is appropriate?
Key topics:
Channel options for a small start-up company; DMUs and DMPs
Designing and managing distribution for a technical product;
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Week 6:
THEMES:
Monday, November 16th
PRICING AND SALES MANAGEMENT
Readings:
Principles of Pricing HBS # 9-506-021
KK: Ch 7: PP 112-118
Session 1:
Case:
The Medicines Co.: HBS # 9-502-006
Discussion Questions:
1. What is the value of Angiomax to a hospital?
2. What price should the Medicines Company charge for a dose of Angiomax? Why?
3. What do you think the adoption profile will look like for Angiomax? Will it be an easy or
hard sell? Why?
4. How can/should the Medicines Company promote adoption of Angiomax? Who should it
try to convince within the hospitals? Which hospitals, doctors, administrators and
purchase managers should it target? Why?
5. What do you think of the Medicines overall business model of rescuing abandoned
drugs?
Key Topics:
Going to market with a high tech product. Value pricing by segments in a high
tech medical products domain; DMU’s and DMPs
Session 2:
Lecture Discussion: Marketing Strategies and Tactics
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Week 7:
THEMES:
Monday, November 23rd (combined class) Andersen auditorium
SERVICE MARKETING; INTERNATIONAL MARKETING;
INTEGRATING MARKETING WITH OTHER FUNCTIONAL
STRATEGIES
Reading:
KK: Ch 8: PP 121-133
Session 1:
Guest Speaker: Reiko Yoshida, Business Leader, Global Marketing
Planning and Strategy, VISA Corporation.
Session 2:
Case:
Apple in 2015 HBS # 9-715-456
Discussion Questions:
1. Comparing Sculley’s, Job's and Cook's strategies, evaluate their rationale and results?
2. What marketing strategy is Apple following? What have been the secrets of its success
in implementing this strategy? How do these integrate with the rest of its functional
strategies - Finance, HR, Operations, R&D, etc?
3. Evaluate Apple’s branding strategy. Are the iPod, iPhone and iPad powerful sub-brands
in their own right?
4. Evaluate Apple’s launch strategies for iPod, iPhone and iPad and their role within its
portfolio? How has Apple adjusted its launch strategy for iPad compared to its earlier
strategies for iPod and iPhone launches? What is your assessment of the adjustment?
Evaluate the marketing mix of the succeeding versions of the iPod, iPhone and iPad.
5. Is Apple's advantage in the iPhone and iPad categories sustainable in the near future?
Why or why not?
6. What is your evaluation of the marketing strategies for Apple Pay and Apple Watch?
7. Is Apple the same without Steve Jobs? Would you buy, hold or sell its stock now?
8. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Apple going forward? Where do you think the
battles between Apple and its key competitors are headed? Who are its key competitors
now? Why? What should Apple do re its future marketing strategy?
9. The 4 big "whales" Amazon, Google, Facebook and Apple are battling for the online
arenas of online commerce, retail, search, advertising and mobile telephony. What are
their relative strengths and weaknesses? What do you envisage will be the scenarios in
the arenas by 2020?
Key Topics:
Brand Building; Product Portfolios; Product Launch Strategies; Integrative
Strategies; Competitive Strategies of Market Leaders;
Please submit your group write-ups on Apple in 2015 by 6pm Monday, November 23rd.
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Week 8:
THEMES:
Monday, November 30th
SAAS AND SAAP MODELS; STP; MARKETING INNOVATIVE
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES; CLV
Please submit your individual write-ups answering Q2 only by 6pm Monday, November 30th.
(6 page limit including exhibits)
Session 1:
Case:
“Hub Spot: Inbound Marketing and Web 2.0": HBS # 9-509-049
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you agree with HubSpot that the “Rules of Marketing" have changed? If so, how? Is
inbound marketing the answer? Why or why not?
2. Calculate the average CLV for (a) an Owner Ollie (OO), ( b) a Marketer Mary (MM)
(c) B2Cs and (d) B2Bs. What measures can HubSpot employ to try to increase their
CLVs? What would you recommend? Why? What are the pros and cons for Hubspot of
serving (a) OOs (b) MMs ? What are the pros and cons for Hubspot for adopting (a) B2C
focus (b) B2B focus?
3. Being a start-up company, should it widen its focus to serve any customer that comes its
way? Or narrow their target, by focusing exclusively on either OOs or MMs? Or by
focusing exclusively on either B2B or B2C customers? What focus or spread re target
customer segment(s) would you recommend? Why?
4. HubSpot has begun to differentiate its products as it has learned more about its
customers. Should it do more? Should its pricing strategy change too? Does the
software-as-a-service (SaaS) pricing model work for both MMs and OOs? Why? What
pricing structure would you recommend?
5. Are the founders being too stubborn by not doing any outbound marketing? Or should
they continue to practice what they preach by focusing on inbound marketing alone?
6. Halligan and Shah want HubSpot to be to marketing, what salesforce.com is to sales.
What would your plan of action be to make this happen? Why would you take these
actions? What would keep you up at night about your plan?
Key Topics: Customer Segment Analysis and Targeting; CLV; Internet and Software
Pricing Models for Web 2.0; SaaS and SaaP Pricing Models.
Session 2:
Lecture Discussion:
Week 9:
THEMES:
Monday, December 7th
COMPETING AGAINST GIANTS; INTERNATIONAL MARKETING
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Session 1 & 2 : To be distributed
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COURSE READER CONTENTS:
Case:
Aqualisa Quartz: Simply a Better Shower.
HBS 9-502-030
Case:
Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service
HBS 9-504-016
Case:
Cisco Systems: Launching the ASR 1000 Series Router
Using Social Media Marketing.
KEL 580
Case:
Vocera Communications
Stanford E-152
Case:
The Medicines Co.
HBS 9-502-006
Case:
Apple in 2015
HBS 9-715-456
Case:
Hub Spot: Inbound Marketing and Web 2.0
HBS 9-509-049
Case:
To Be Distributed
Note on Marketing Strategy
HBS 9-598-061
Principles of Product Policy
HBS 9-506-018
Marketing Promotions
HBS 9-506-028
Market Segmentation, Target Market Selection, and Positioning
HBS 9-506-019
Going to Market
HBS 9-599-078
Principles of Pricing
HBS 9-506-021
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