York University
Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies
Administrative Studies
Fall 2014
Marketing Channels - ADMS 4230
Classes Start – Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at 4:00 pm – RS 105
Classes End – Wednesday, December 3, 2014 – final exam
Instructor: Dr. Elena Skliarenko
Email: elenask@yorku.ca
Course Description:
Integrates theory and practice of Marketing Distribution Channels - the "place" of Marketing,
focusing on how to make channel decisions to better serve end-customers, promote strategic
relationships and integrate with strategic planning to strengthen long-term competitive position.
1. Course Kit - Required Readings:
Text: Marketing Channels – A Management View, Bert Rosenbloom: South-Western CENGAGE
Learning: ISBN: 978-0-324-31698-8.
The textbook should be read and cases prepared for class presentation and discussion as you
work your way through the course, being sure you have read the assigned chapters and case
studies.
2. Grade Determination:
Midterm Exam 30%
Group Project Presentation 10%
Final Group Written Project: 20%
Individual Class Participation: 10%
Case assignment:
10%
Final Exam 20%
3. Examinations:
There will be a midterm exam based on your general knowledge of channels. There will be a
final covering all aspects of this course.
4. Organization of the Course:
The objectives of this course are to provide you with:
1) a theoretical framework for understanding marketing channels
2) an approach to analyzing strategies for marketing channels
3) an understanding of practical difficulties, issues, and trends in the management of marketing
channels
4) experience in analytical thinking, presentations skills, and team work
This course in marketing requires an understanding of its history and theory, as well as practical
application. The history and theory come from your readings and lectures; the practical
application comes from discussion, cases, projects and guest speakers’ presentations.
Emphasis for this course is on your responsibility for your own learning. A good part of class time
is devoted to discussion. You MUST have read the material and participate in class discussions
in order to get anything out of this course.
5. The Project
A major part of the work in this course is the project. Your readings and lectures are geared
toward helping you understand the theoretical background of Channels of Distribution. The
purpose of the project is for you to apply the knowledge you are gaining. The project will be done
in groups. Group work is an important component of the learning process of your undergraduate
business degree. This group work is important enough that you are given some class time to do
it. There will be one optional checkpoint to help you to understand how far along you should be in
your project. If you choose, you may submit a précis of your group’s progress for comments.
6. Group Presentation
Your group will do a formal presentation of your research project (20 minutes maximum). There
are three main purposes of the oral presentation of projects:
1) to give you practice in oral communication, an important part of any occupation in Marketing,
and frequently mentioned by Marketing executives looking at potential employees
2) to give you a chance to view the application of channels theory in a variety of real, practical
situations
3) to give you a chance to learn from each other
Professor will assign marks as a group. All members of the group are expected to participate.
Your evaluation will be based on 3 different areas:
a) Content – class learned a lot from you, what you presented shows good understanding of
theory and your industry;
b) Delivery - style of presentation was interesting, entertaining and clear;
c) Defense – questions from class and professor were handled well.
The techniques of successful teamwork are part of the curriculum. Students are expected to
participate in their group, and to have the right, and the responsibility, to ensure to that your group
works. Groups will have minimum six members. We will start with nearly equally sized groups, but
people do drop out. There are advantages and disadvantages to larger and smaller groups. If you
have more people, you will have less work per person, but more difficulty with scheduling and
consensus. If you have fewer people, you will have less difficulty with scheduling and consensus,
but will have fewer people among whom to spread the work. Time will be allowed in most classes
for group meetings and work, but you are expected to spend time outside of class with your
group.
7. Peer Evaluations:
Students will negotiate a rate for themselves and each other in a final evaluation on their
contribution to the group, using the scale outlined below.
4; Made above average contribution to the project, i.e. expended more effort than other members
of the group, did additional research, spent more time, took leadership role.
3; Made an average contribution to the project, i.e. came to scheduled group meetings, did their
share of the tasks in a ‘quality way’, contributed suggestions, completed tasks on time.
2; Made a lower than average contribution to the project, i.e. came to meetings but offered a few
suggestions, put limited effort into assigned or performed tasks at a lower standard than other
members, failed to meet group deadlines.
1; Made a minimal contribution to the project. Attended some meetings, but missed many others.
Failed to do tasks they had agreed to perform, failed to meet deadlines, or failed to offer helpful
suggestions.
0: Failed to make any contribution to the project.
If a group plans to fire a group member, the group may do this only if you have advised the
Professor previously of the problem (before the mid-term exam) so that Professor can counsel
the offending student and try to rectify the problem. Ideally, the group should confront the laggard
themselves; it is one of the most important management skills a student will ever learn. Group
contracts will help. They should be designed and signed by all group members at the beginning of
the course. Discuss this with your Professor. Any student not in a group will receive a ‘0’ grade for
all group work and thus fail the course
8. Class Participation - The Cases
A student will be responsible for being prepared for some cases for the purposes of class
discussion and application of theory. Students will spend a large amount of class time in
discussion. To do this well, and for the classes to work, as students is advised to read the
material.
10. Individual Work:
See University policy. Work submitted for individual must be original work of the individual
student. Violation is grounds for prosecution under the rules of the University.
11. Deferred Exam:
There cannot be a deferred exam for a group-based exam substitute. Plan to have your project
ready before or when it is due, at the beginning of that class. Late submissions (anything past
4pm) will not be accepted for any project/assignment. Be sure to allow enough time in your
schedule for printing problems – they invariably arise when time is tight.
12. Course Outline:
To enrich the course and provide more links with Industry Guest speakers are invited to
come to meet with students. Depending on guest speakers’ schedules and availability the
order of topics and chapters may be changed. Follow in-class and on-line announcements.
Week
Date
Topic
Readings
Wk 1
Sept. 10
- Introduction
- Marketing Channel Concepts
- The Role of the Channels
Marketing Manager
- The Channel Participants
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Wk 2
Sept. 17
- The Environment of Marketing
Chapter 3
Channels
Chapter 4
- Behavioral Processes in Marketing
Channels
Wk 3
Sept. 24
- Strategy in Marketing Channels
- Designing Marketing Channels
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Guest Speaker MS P&G TBC
Wk 4
Oct.01
- Selecting the Channel Members
- Target Markets and Channel
Design Strategy
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Wk 5
Oct. 08
- Motivating the Channel
Members
- Product Issues in Channel
Management
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Guest Speaker CH 2M TBC
Wk 6
Oct. 15
Mid-Term
Chapters 1-10 30%
Wk 7
Oct. 22
-Pricing Issues in Channel
Management
-Promotion through the Marketing
Channels
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
No Classes
Oct. 29
Co-Curricular Days
Wk 8
Nov. 5
-Logistics and Channel Management Chapter 13
- Evaluating Channel Member
Chapter 14
Performance
Wk 9
Nov. 12
-Electronic Marketing Channels
-Franchise Marketing Channels
Chapter 15
Guest Speaker AM TPS TBC
Chapter 16
Final Group Written Report – 20%
Wk 10 Nov. 19
-Marketing Channels for Services
Chapter 17
-International Channel Perspectives Chapter 18
Wk 11 Nov. 26
Student Presentations
Wk 12 Dec. 3
Final Exam – 20%
Worth 10%