Lingnan University
Department of Marketing & International Business
MKT399A Special Topics in Marketing – New Product Development
Course Description
Prerequisite: BUS205 Marketing Management
No. of credits: Three
This course aims to provide the necessary theoretical and practical training in the
development and management of new products. It is designed for the final year students who
have taken BUS205 Marketing Management and are looking for an in-depth exposure to new
product development. New product development has changed dramatically since the 1980s
and has widened to include global issues, marketing strategy and cross-functional interfaces,
quality and customer satisfaction, and new techniques that are relevant across a number of
industries. This course takes a multidisciplinary approach to new product development. The
course looks at issues in marketing, manufacturing, finance, engineering, and R&D functions.
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are to provide students with a solid understanding and hands-on
experience of the new product development process, in particular they will
1. understand the basic concepts of new product development;
2. develop in-depth knowledge relating to the marketing of on-going products as well as
of new products;
3. prepare new product marketing plans; and
4. develop product innovation and new product development strategy.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, students will be able to:

Have an in-depth critical understanding of new product development process;

Analyze and apply various key concepts and tools to product planning and
management process;

Evaluate the appropriateness of various product strategies for different marketing
situations;

Develop a complete new product marketing plan in a professional fashion.
1
Measurement of Learning Outcomes
1. Examination is designed to assess students’ understanding of the new product
development process and the related concepts and theories involved in new product
planning, development and management.
2. In addition to 1, problem based continuous assessment (case studies, class
participation, article critique, group presentation) requires students individually or in
teams to explain the applicability of concepts, theories and principles of new product
development to real life problem situations.
3. Term project requires students in teams to take a holistic view and integrate what they
have learned to develop a complete new product marketing plan in a professional
fashion.
Textbook
Crawford, Merle and Anthony Di Benedetto (2008), New Products Management, Ninth
edition, McGraw-Hill.
Additional Reading Materials
Additional reading materials and case studies will be provided for class assignments.
It is very useful to visit good websites of product innovation for conducting detailed research.
Some recommended web sites are:
1. Product Development and Management Association (PDMA)
- http://www.pdma.org
2. World Business Review
- http://www.wbrtv.com
Indicative Content
(1) Opportunity Identification and Selection: new products process, opportunity
identification, and strategic planning for new products.
(2)
Concept Generation: preparation and alternatives, problem-based ideation, and
perceptual mapping.
(3)
Concept Evaluation: concept evaluation system, concept testing, and product protocol.
(4)
Development: design, development team management, and product use testing.
(5)
Launch: strategic launch planning, market testing, and launch management.
2
Pedagogy
The approach for new product management is practical and problem-oriented. The major part
of the course will involve applying concepts, techniques, and analytical frameworks to solve
problems which real-world companies need to encounter. The course begins with a discussion
of innovation strategy and is followed by topics on the major phases in the new product
development process, namely opportunity identification, concept generation, concept
evaluation, product development and launch management. Applications are described in the
context of consumer and industrial, products and services, and frequently-purchased and
durable goods. Real-world examples are used to demonstrate the best level of practice in each
problem situation.
Assessment
Student evaluation is based on:
1. Class Assignments (40% = 8% X 5)
Each group (perhaps pairs) is required to complete five class assignments such as
article review, Internet exercises, case studies and little projects. Pairs will be planned
by the instructor and differently for each assignment. Individual grade will be based
on group members’ peer evaluation and an overall group grade assigned by the
instructor. For example, if a group (pairs) receives an assignment mark “6 out of 8
marks”, and one group member assigns another group member a score of 7 out of 10
for his/her participation, then that student’s assignment mark would be 4.2 out of 8 (6
times 0.7).
2. Class Participation (10%)
Students will be assessed based on their simple attendance and contribution to class
discussion.
3. Final Exam (50%)\
Short case and essay questions
Class Assignments
Class Participation
Final Exam
40%
10%
50%
Total: 100%
3
MKT399A – New Product Development
Course Schedule (1st Term, 2009-10)
Week
Topics & Materials Covered
Ch
Week 1
Introduction to NPD
Week 2-3
2-3
Week 4-6
Part 1 – Opportunity Identification/Selection
Case Part 2 – Concept Generation
Week 7-9
Part 3 – Concept/Project Evaluation
8-12
Week 10-12
Part 4 - Development
13-15
Week 13-15
Part 5 - Launch
16-20
1
4-7
4