Marketing Principles, Mkt. 381, 3 Credit Hours
Spring 2010
Tuesday and Thursday 12:00-1:15 (Self 208)
Instructor: Dr. Retha Ann Price
(office) 925-7744, (home) 898-0869, (email) raprice@mc.edu
(webpage) www.mc.edu/faculty/raprice
Office Hours:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
(My office is Self Hall 201C)
10:45-12:00 and 1:15 - 2:00
8:00 - 2:00
10:45-12:00 and 1:15-2:00
I will be happy to meet with you at another reasonable time by appointment if these times conflict with your
schedule.
Overview:
Marketing Principles is an introductory overview of marketing, including the strategic marketing process, seeking
marketing opportunities through environmental analysis, market segmentation and target market selection, and
marketing mix development including introductions to product, pricing, integrated marketing communications
and marketing channels. Global impact, social responsibility and ethical issues are also addressed. The course is
designed to help you learn about and apply the basic concepts of modern marketing as they are used in a variety
of business settings. The course makes extensive use of “real world” examples and in-class activities.
Regardless of your academic background or career interest, Marketing Principles should help you by providing
valuable knowledge and insight about a business function that profoundly affects both organizations and society
as a whole.
Rationale:
Marketing is all around us and we all need to know something about it. Marketing is used not only by
manufacturing companies, wholesalers, and retailers, but by all kinds of individuals and organizations. Lawyers,
accountants, and doctors use marketing to manage demand for their services. Hospitals, churches, museums, and
performing arts groups also engage in marketing. No politician can get the needed votes and no resort the needed
tourists without developing and carrying out marketing plans. This course aims to provide you with the basic
knowledge and skills necessary to design and implement effective marketing plans, or to interact effectively with
others charged with this responsibility. Marketing Principles is a required course in the School of Business.
Structure:
This course is organized to flow from the general to the specific. We begin with a general overview of
marketing, the strategic marketing process, and the marketing environment. We move to a review of consumer
behavior and the consumer decision-making process, and then examine how organizations identify and select
target markets. We then focus on specific components of marketing strategy including product and brand
management, pricing techniques and strategies, marketing channels, and integrated marketing communications.
Additionally, ethics and social responsibility are considered throughout the course as they relate to specific topics
covered.
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Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, you should:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Be familiar with the language and vocabulary of marketing.
Recognize the importance of customer needs and wants as the foundation for marketing decision making.
Understand the strategic marketing process and how the marketing environment impacts it.
Understand the processes of market segmentation and target market selection.
Understand the components of marketing strategy including product and brand management, pricing
techniques and strategies, marketing channels management, and integrated marketing communications.
6. Gain experience applying marketing tools and concepts through assignments and in-class exercises.
7. Develop verbal and written communication skills and confidence to present your ideas.
8. Understand the importance of ethical considerations within the marketing field.
Required Text:
Marketing – 9th Edition – Kerin, Berkowitz, Hartley, & Rudelius (Irwin/McGraw Hill, 2009).
Academic Integrity:
Mississippi College students are expected to be scrupulously honest. Dishonesty, such as cheating or plagiarism,
will be regarded as a serious offense subject to severe penalties including, but not limited to, loss of credit and
possible dismissal.
Attendance:
You are expected to attend all classes and to be on time. Accurate attendance records will be kept. Your class
participation grade will be partially determined by your attendance. In accordance to Mississippi College policy,
any student that misses more than 25% of scheduled classes (i.e., 7 class meetings), whether excused or
unexcused, will receive a grade of “F”. Three tardies equal one absence.
Course Evaluation:
Your final grade for this course will be based upon the combination of exam grades, homework assignments and
in-class activities, and class participation as follows:
Exams (4 exams 100 points each)
Homework Assignments and Class Activities
Class Participation
Total
400 points (76% of total)
100 points (19% of total)
25 points (5% of total)
525 points
Grading Scale:
90 – 100%
80 – 89%
70 – 79%
60 – 69%
Below 60%
A
B
C
D
F
472 – 525 points
420 – 471 points
367 – 419 points
315 – 366 points
Below 315 points
Exams:
Four exams will be given during the semester. Each exam is worth 100 points. The final exam is not
comprehensive. All students must take the final. All exams will be composed of multiple choice and short
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answer questions. Exam questions will be drawn from lecture material, chapter reading, and homework
assignments. Do Not Miss Exams! You are expected to take exams when scheduled. If you miss a scheduled
exam, you will take a comprehensive final exam and the score you make on the final will count twice.
Class Participation:
All students are encouraged and expected to participate in class discussion and class activities. You are expected
to have read all assigned text material and prepared class assignments prior to the class meeting. Note that a
portion of your grade will depend on the quantity and quality of your class contributions. In order to obtain all
class participation points you must:
 have good class attendance (no more than two absences. After two absences, you loose two points for
each absence)
 regularly participate in class discussions and activities.
If you always come to class, but never participate in class discussion, you will not receive a participation grade
higher than a B. If you rarely come to class (5 or more absences), you will not receive a participation grade
higher than a D, even if you participate when you do show up.
Chapter Assignments:
Chapter assignments will be given each week. You are expected to complete these assignments and be prepared
to share your answers with the class. Assignments should be neatly written on loose leaf note book paper or
typed. These assignments will serve as a partial study guide for exams. They will help you focus on the
important aspects of each chapter. Assignments pertaining to each exam are due on that exam’s date.
In-Class Activities:
In-class activities are an important part of this course. In most cases, you will be paired with one or more
students to work on these activities. These activities will be based on skills that marketers practice in their dayto-day jobs and will support and reinforce the concepts discussed in the text and lecture. If you are absent on the
day of the group activity, you must complete the activity on your own. The deadline for turning in in-class
activities is the exam date of the related materials.
Grading Assignments and In-Class Activities:
Assignments and in-class activities will be due four times during the semester (one set for each exam). All
assignments and activities due on the exam date should be stapled together and put in the proper order. Include a
cover sheet with your name, date, and course number (MKT 381) on it. Each set of assignments is worth 25
points. You will receive a check +, a check, or a check – for each assignment depending on the caliber of your
work. If all your assignments are complete and reasonably well done, this should be an easy 25 points. No late
assignments will be accepted.
Odds and Ends:
The following classroom policies are established to promote a healthy learning environment.
 Arrive on time
 Refrain from side conversations during lecture or student discussion
 Do not work on homework or study for another class
 Turn off and put away cell phones and other electronic devices
 Cell phones may not be used as calculators for exams
 I do not give out grades by telephone or e-mail.
 If you miss class, please do not e-mail me or phone me to ask what we covered. Ask a friend that you
trust to brief you on what was covered or borrow someone’s notes.
I look forward to a productive and exciting semester and hope to get to know you better!
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TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Date
Topic
Chapters
1/12
1/14
Course Overview
An Introduction to Marketing (Assignment #1)
1/19
1/21
Strategic Planning and the Strategic Marketing Process (Assignment #2)
Strategic Planning and the Strategic Marketing Process
Chapter 2
1/26
1/28
The Marketing Environment (Assignment #3)
The Marketing Environment
Chapter 3
2/02
2/04
EXAM 1 (CHAPTERS 1, 2, and 3)
Ethical and Social Responsibility in Marketing (Assignment #4)
2/09
2/11
Consumer Behavior (Assignment #5)
Consumer Behavior
Chapter 5
2/16
2/18
Market Segmentation and Target Marketing (Assignment #6)
Market Segmentation and Target Marketing
Chapter 9
2/23
2/25
EXAM 2 (CHAPTERS 4, 5, and 9)
New Product Development (Assignment #7)
3/02
3/04
Product and Brand Management (Assignment #8)
Product and Brand Management
Chapter 11
3/09
3/11
Pricing Products (Assignment #9)
Pricing Products
Chapter 13 & 14
Chapter 1
Chapter 4
Chapter 10
SPRING BREAK!
3/23
3/25
Managing Marketing Channels (Assignment #10)
EXAM 3 (CHAPTERS 10, 11, 13, and 14)
Chapter 15
3/30
4/01
Managing Marketing Channels
Retailing (Assignment #11)
Chapter 15
Chapter 17
4/06
4/08
Integrated Marketing Communications (Assignment #12)
Direct Marketing (Assignment #13)
Chapter 18
4/13
4/15
Advertising (Assignment #14)
Advertising
Chapter 19
4/20
4/22
Sales Promotion (Assignment #15)
Personal Selling (Assignment #16)
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
4/27
5/01
Wrap-up and Review
FINAL EXAM (CHAPTERS 15, 17, 18, 19, & 20) 11:00-1:00
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