Marketing and Innovation in Renewable Materials, WSE 455/555
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
email:
Eric Hansen
119 Richardson Hall
7-4240
Eric.Hansen2@oregonstate.edu
Text:
Strategic Marketing in the Global Forest Industries 2nd Edition, 2011, Hansen & Juslin.
Various readings available via Web site
Other
Materials:
http://facstaff.forestry.oregonstate.edu/eric-hansen/wse-455555
Credits:
4
Schedule:
M,W
2:00-3:50
Richardson Hall 243
Prerequisites: None
Course Objectives:

Develop skills to create a strategic marketing plan.
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Provide a working knowledge of marketing and innovation in the renewable materials industries
as well as business trends, market segments, and participating companies.

Develop skills for the application of basic marketing fundamentals to the marketing of renewable
materials.
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Develop written and oral communication skills.

Develop problem-solving and decision making skills through the analysis of renewable materials
marketing and innovation problems.
Students with Disabilities: Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and
Disability Access Services (DAS). Students with accommodations approved through DAS are responsible
for contacting the faculty member in charge of the course prior to or during the first week of the term to
discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not
yet obtained approval through DAS should contact DAS immediately at 737-4098.
Statement of Expectations for Student Conduct: http://oregonstate.edu/admin/stucon/achon.htm
Evaluation of Student Performance:
Midterm Exam #1 (take home)
10%
Midterm Exam #2 (take home)
10%
Final Exam
20%
Company Report
10%
Marketing Plan (group project)
25%
Quizzes
10%
Participation
15%
Total
100%
Letter grades will be assigned as follows:
A 93-100%; A- 90-92%; B+ 87-89%; B 83-86%; B- 80-82%; C+ 77-79%; C 73-76%; C- 70-72%; D+ 6769%; D 63-66%; D- 60-62%; F <60%
Classroom Etiquette: Participation is a large component of your grade. Accordingly, you need to come
to class prepared to intelligently discuss the topic of the day.
Course Summary: Marketing and innovation rely heavily on effective communication, so this course
concentrates on written and oral communication. The course will arm you with the skills necessary to
apply basic concepts of marketing and innovation in the renewable materials industries. Application will
be highlighted through examples and industry speakers relating coursework to the day-to-day work in
renewable materials business. See learning objectives and daily schedule for detailed course content.
Quizzes: This class is very reading-intensive. There will be six quizzes during the term – given at
random. To do well on quizzes and actively participate in class, it is important that you stay current with
reading.
Exams: Exams will consist of essay questions and will cover all materials including the text, lectures,
industry speakers, class discussions, etc. The final exam will be comprehensive. The midterm exams will
be take home followed by peer grading and finally my grading. Graduate student exams will contain
additional questions beyond that required of undergraduates, will cover additional readings, and
grad students will be expected to provide more in-depth and synthesized answers.
Company Report: An in-depth look at a variety of companies will allow you to better understand the
dynamics of the industry and common strategies and innovation and marketing practices. Each of you
will be assigned a renewable materials company about which you will give an oral report including the
following aspects:

company history (including mergers/acquisitions)

major product lines

corporate strategies

marketing strategies and systems

R&D and innovation management strategies/practices

future plans

sources of information
The oral report will be limited to 10 minutes and will be judged on content and presentation. Part of your
participation grade will be tied to active interaction and asking questions of your colleagues. Please note:
this is not a web only exercise. You should make it very clear how you have used the company annual
report and/or other non-homepage materials. You MUST provide your presentation to me electronically by
noon the day you present.
Marketing Plan: You will be assembled into groups to create a marketing plan. The plan will be
structured following that shown in the textbook, Chapter 7. Creation of the plan may require primary data
collection.
Measurable Student Learning Outcomes: (additional graduate objectives in bold)
Introduction, Industry Context

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

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Explain the basic concept of marketing
Describe course requirements (i.e., you should read the syllabus)
Define basic types of innovation
Explain the difference between innovation and innovativeness
Explain the concept of globalization and its impact on renewable materials
Summarize major global industry issues & trends
Analyze the intersection between marketing and innovation
Relate globalization trends to major changes occurring in industry
Understanding Marketing

Explain how marketing has changed over time

Explain the concept of environmental marketing and why it is important

Understand logic of the Integrated Model of Marketing Planning

Define corporate social responsibility

Evaluate ethical considerations in marketing and new product development
Strategy


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Distinguish between corporate and marketing strategies
Define an SBU and an SBA
Outline the major steps to corporate strategic planning
Use various portfolio matrices in decision making
Explain why strategic accounts are becoming more common and their importance in strategic planning
Explain the concept of total product and its role in differentiation
Draw the product differentiation spectrum and explain its logic
Explain logical relationships among strategies, structures, and functions
Formulate a logical marketing strategy and compare it to Porter’s approach
Information in Marketing and Creating a Marketing Plan

Describe the IMMP and Model of Information Environment

Describe the relationship between these models and the textbook

Explain the importance and use of information in marketing

List appropriate places to find market information

Evaluate relevance and quality of market information
Innovation and New Product Development

Describe the stage-gate approach to new product development

Understand the current situation for new product development in the renewable materials industries

Describe NPD/innovation strategies

Analyze why innovation is no longer optional, but a necessary activity in every competitive business

Assess the role of metrics in successful innovation management
Marketing Structures

Understand basic concepts around structures of strategic marketing

Describe the evolution in marketing relationships

Outline the advantages of close relationships

Describe supply chain management and its apparent advantages

Describe marketing channel alternatives

Describe roles, advantages, and disadvantages of various types of channel members

Explain power in the marketing channel
Marketing Functions

draw a basic model of communication including its relationship with the IMMP

explain how marketing communication must be designed based on marketing strategies and structures

describe a communications portfolio

explain how the role of the salesperson is changing over time to fit with modern approaches to marketing

describe how a forest product marketer might utilize and interact with an ad agency

describe different types of pricing and their appropriateness in differing contexts

explain the difference between penetration and skimming pricing

explain how and why one might reduce the price of a product