NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE
NUS Business School
Department of Marketing
BMA5504
Global Marketing
Lecturer:
Lillian L. Cheng
Office: BIZ 2, 02-12
Email: bizclll@nus.edu.sg
Session:
Semester II, AY2013/2014
Course Website:
Course Objectives
Global marketing as an art and a science is an area of increasing importance to
corporations, non-profit organizations, institutions and governments the world over.
To succeed as a global executive, one must develop a global perspective with a
clear global mindset. The essence of marketing is communications. Effective
marketing requires having empathy for one’s target audience, or stakeholders from
company employees to customers to partners to investors. Global marketing,
therefore, requires developing an understanding not only of the various regions
and markets in the world but also, an awareness and understanding of the
distinctive characteristics of consumers and corporate buyers in different markets.
Because of the many components in marketing, doing it on a global scale involves
having to work with different levels of economic, educational, infrastructural,
legal, political and cultural development. Global marketing adds exponential
complexity to the task of marketing.
This course will explore the global marketing environment, study the global
consumer and corporate buyer, and examine the various components of marketing,
from product development to pricing before evaluating the present and future
challenges in marketing.
This course will be delivered through a combination of readings, class discussions,
case analyses, video presentations, guest speakers, and a final marketing project
where you will work in a team to devise a marketing plan to launch a product to a
foreign, regional market.
This course is designed for graduate students to learn more about marketing in a
global context. A global mindset has the capacity to

Appreciate the major geopolitical and cultural trends affecting global marketing;

Identify opportunities in the changing times

Understand the importance of consumer behavioral differences in different
markets.

Comprehend the role of marketing research in global marketing and be able to
identify appropriate research approaches for solving different information needs
in global marketing;

Identify advantages, and disadvantages of various entry modes when designing
market entry strategies for global firms;

Appreciate the standardization versus differentiation issue in the design of
marketing mix for global markets;

Follow up on topical issues plaguing global marketers, diagnose these problems,
and be creative in suggesting possible solutions to these problems.
Course Focus
This course will have as a focus the Asian market and the Asian consumer and
buyer. We will explore global marketing issues with particular emphasis on Asian
companies marketing to Asian markets, Asian companies marketing to global
markets outside of Asia, and western companies marketing to Asian markets. In
addition to case analyses, discussion of cultural as well as geopolitical differences,
and ongoing examination of current trends, each team will complete a marketing
plan of going-to-market in Asia, either for an Asian product or service or a western
product or service. This is a course designed to help us develop the global mindset
and a global perspective in marketing. Active participation and exchange of course
participants are essential.
Course Format
This class emphasizes learning by doing. Each of the class sessions will include the
following:
1. Presentation and discussion of the subject matter
While presentations of the particular subject matters will be made, we will
have interactive discussions through these presentations instead of taking the
lecture format.
2. Case discussion or class problem sets
With the exception of the first and last sessions of the course where
introduction and concluding comments of the global marketing will be made,
each class session will comprise of either a case for analysis, a role-playing
game or a problem set to work on in class.
3. Guest speaker
Where appropriate, we will have guest speakers to speak on the specific topic.
These speakers are prominent business leaders in various areas of expertise.
Assessment Methods
Individual component:
Tests
Class Participation
Case Analyses (Five individual case analyses)
Team component:
Team Project
 Team Presentation
 Marketing Plan
20%
20%
20%
40%
15%
25%
Tests
Tests are designed to help keep you on track with readings and course progress.
These tests will include materials in your assigned readings as well as class
discussions. You may choose to drop the scores of one-third of the tests.
Class Participation
The quality of the learning environment of an interactive, case-driven course is
highly dependent on class participation. It is your responsibility to prepare yourself
to participate in class discussions by going through the assigned readings and
raising questions relating to the course subject matter of the day. While active
participation is encouraged, occupying “air time” without the offering of
substantial contribution to the discussion is discouraged.
Case Analyses
You are required to prepare for all assigned cases for class discussion. You will
choose five of these cases to prepare a case analysis of less than 5 pages. These
case write ups should be double-spaced with12-pt Times Roman font. You may
submit analyses of all seven cases and choose scores of the top five case analyses.
A suggested format for these case analyses is provided on the course website.
Team Project
This project is designed for you to gain practical experience in creating a
marketing plan to launch a product/service in a foreign market. The goal of this
project is to provide you with the opportunity to work in a team. You will be given
the opportunity to evaluate the contribution of each team member at the
conclusion of this project. This evaluation mimics the 360 review in the work world.
You are to choose one of the following product/service:
 An industrial product
 A consumer white goods product
 A luxury product
 A consumer electronics product
 A hospitality service
 An educational service
You are to launch this product or service as
 An Asian producer entering another Asian market
 A western producer entering an Asian market
 An Asian producer entering a western market
A drawing process will be held in class so that each team will be working on a
unique project and there will be no overlap.
Team Presentation
Each team will present the marketing plan “creatively” to the class during the last
session of the course. Each team may also decide to what audience they present.
That is, the class may be asked to be the executive management team, for
example.
Marketing Plan
As a team, you will prepare a marketing plan. A detailed description of what is
expected in this marketing plan is provided on the course website. There are
check points throughout the semester where each team is expected to submit
substantive progress in the marketing plan. The goal of these check points is to
ensure that no project is off track. These submissions will be evaluated and the
comments are made in the spirit of providing additional guidance. They will not be
graded but failure to submit progress will be penalized.
Readings and Course Schedule
The following table shows the course schedule. Please note the topic to be covered
in each session and come to class having read the assigned chapter/s and case for
discussion. The assignment due dates are also noted. More detailed information on
each session including questions to guide your readings, case questions and details
on assignment deliverables will be posted on the course website.
Required Materials
Text Book:
Czinkota, Michael and Ilkka Ronkainen (2013). International Marketing, 10th
Edition, Mason, OH: South-Western,
Cengage Learning. ISBN-13: 978-1-13362751-7. Digital version.
HBSP Cases:
 HTC Corporation: A Smartphone Pioneer from Taiwan. HBSP: W11227-PDF-ENG
 P&G Japan: The SK-II Globalization Project. HBSP: 303003-PDF-ENG
 Shanghai Tang: The First Global Chinese Luxury Brand? HBSP: HKU650-PDF-ENG
 Banyan Tree: Sustainability of a Brand during Rapid Global Expansion.
HBSP: HKU774-PDF-ENG
 Henley’s Distribution Channels for Domestic Appliances in China’s Transitional
Economy. HBSP: HKU245-PDF-ENG
 Decathlon China: Using Social Media to Penetrate the Internet Market.
HBSP: 11503-PDF-ENG
 Asian Agri and the Future of Palm Oil. HBSP: 511015-PDF-ENG
Course Schedule
Week Date
Topic
Readings/Cases
1
Jan 18
Course Introduction
2
Jan 25
Why Global Marketing
Text: Chapters 1 & 2
3
Feb 1
The Global Market
Text: Chapters 4 & 5
4
Feb 8
The Global Consumer
5
Feb 15
Global Marketing
Strategy
6
Feb 22
Global Marketing
Organization
Text: Chapters 3, 6 & 8
In class exercise
Text: Chapters 7 & 9
Case: HTC Corporation: A
Smartphone Pioneer From
Taiwan
Text: Chapter 10
Case: P&G Japan: The SK-II
Globalization Project
Assignment
Team Assignments
Team Project Proposal
Due
Team Project Outline
Due
RECESS WEEK
7
Mar 8
Global Products and
Brands
8
Mar 15
Global Marketing of
Services
9
Mar 22
Global Pricing
10
Mar 29
Global Distribution
11
Apr 5
Social Networks and
Communication
12
Apr 12
13
Apr 19
Leadership,
Corporate Social
Responsibility
Building Global
Customer Experience
Text: Chapter 11 & 13
Case: Shanghai Tang: The
First Global Chinese Luxury
Brand?
Text: Chapter 12
Case: Banyan Tree:
Sustainability of a Brand
during
Rapid Global Expansion
Text: Chapter 14
Class exercise
Text: Chapter 15
Case: Henley’s Distribution
Channels for Domestic
Appliance in China’s
Transitioning Economy
Text: Chapter 16
Case: Decathlon China: Using
Social Media to Penetrate
the Internet Market
Text: Chapter 17
Case: Asian Agri and the
Future of Palm Oil
Text: Chapter 18
Team Project Company
Description Due
Team Project Marketing
Plan Outline Due
Final Team Presentations