University of Southern Maine

School of Business

Class and Class Title Prerequisites:

MBA 660, Managerial Marketing MBA502
LEC# 11328 Mkt experience or watch Mkt101 videos
Semester and Year Fall 2010

Instructor: Bob Heiser, Ph.D

Office Hours: Online via email anytime and office by appointment

Class Time & Class Location: Online class content and periodic Wednesday PM in-
class tutorials in Wishcamper 203 and the PCLabs on MEXL.
Office Location: Luther Bonney 216
Office Phone: 207-228-8364 Text: 207-332-7873 Email: robert.heiser@maine.edu
Web: http://usm.maine.edu/~rheiser
Web 2.0 http://profile.to/profbob http://twitter.com/bheiser207

Course Objectives
The objective of this course is to develop and integrate students’ understanding of
marketing. Students will design and implement marketing decisions in class exercises and
case studies. These “practice” decisions will help to integrate key managerial marketing
concepts within an overall strategic marketing framework. This course will also provide
participants the opportunity to integrate the knowledge and skill set acquired in the basic
principles videos in online discussions. MBA 660 will expose students to the latest, high-
end marketing models that are being applied (and sold!) by leading marketing
consultants.
AACSB Course Objectives
The Managerial Marketing course is designed to sharpen a number of your
business analysis skills including: evaluating the role of ethics in a competitive
environment, understanding the impact of external environmental factors in your
managerial marketing decisions, and gauging the impact of changing demographics on
your marketing strategy and product offerings. In accordance with AACSB accreditation
recommendations, the development and assessment of these perspectives and skills are
listed below.
Ethical Issues—You will explore the role of ethics in the managerial marketing
course within the case studies and discussion board conversations. Within the case
studies, the ethics of pricing the same product at different retail prices through different
channels, and the ethics of premium pricing environmental-friendly products to a select
consumer group while at the same time limiting access to these products for low and
middle income consumers. As part of the online class discussions, you will explore a
number of marketing ethics topics including ethics in targeting and ethics in the
application of the marketing mix.
External factors (political, legal, social, and environmental)—You will need to
examine many external environmental factors within the case studies and discussion
board conversations. For example, political and governmental policy factors must be

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considered when designing an optimal marketing mix for Frigidaire’s horizontal front-
loading washing machine. Cultural variables will be very important in your group
analysis of the GinoSA, China, case study.
Development of information acquisition skills—The managerial marketing class
will utilize secondary data sources as part of the weekly discussions and for the group
creative project. You will utilize USM library resources such as the DataMonitor reports,
U.S. government economic and census information and general Internet sources.
Development of computer and information technology skills—Because this is an
online class, you will need to develop and maintain proficiency in online computing and
communication skills. We will be using many communication technologies including
podcasts, chat rooms, group meeting forums, wikis, blogs and discussion boards. We will
also conduct live in-class meetings that will be simulcast using interactive audio and
video technology. The MBA 660 course content will sharpen your information skills as
they apply to financial analyses in Excel spreadsheets, marketing analytics and the
presentation of secondary data gathered for group assignments utilizing Microsoft Office
products.

USM School of Business Objectives

The University of Southern Maine’s School of Business mission statement
recognizes the promotion and development of key student skills including written
communication skills, oral communication skills, analytical skills, critical thinking skills,
and the examination of the ethics of professional business practices. To promote these
SOB-directed skills, the managerial marketing course will focus brief, written reports for
the case studies, group case study written projects, group debates on the course
discussion board, and individual analyses and critiques of the case studies.

Course Materials
• Required – ME>XL software and case studies, (provided as part of your course fees).

• Required – Marketing Management: A Strategic Decision-Making Perspective,

Mullins, Walker, Boyd, & Larreche, McGraw-Hill Irwin: New York, 7th edition, 2010.
The older 5e & 6e editions are essentially identical textbooks to the newer 7e, so it’s OK
to purchase these books if you wish to save money.

Attendance
You should check-in to the online course area at least 2-3 times per week. We will be
holding discussions on the discussion board and 10% of your individual grade and a large
percentage of your group grade is based on your contribution to these discussions. Thus it
is important that you “see what’s up” on the discussion and to regularly contribute to the
topics under discussion.

A note on the discussion boards--Timeliness is important in the discussions. Please don’t

wait until the end of the semester and then post your thoughts (en masse) to the
semester’s discussion areas. In general, postings that are made beyond the weekly
deadline will not count toward your discussion board grade. To make this point clearer,
the difference between an A and B or B and C is almost always a function of online

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participation. If you miss discussions or post “way late,” expect a lower course grade.
(Unless, of course, you notify me ahead of time…in which case late posts are accepted).

Course Requirement and Grading

The following components would comprise your grade:

Individual Contributions: Total Individual 70%

Case summaries (~5 pages each)
Addison Lesley Walkman 10%
Infiniti G20 20%
Frigidaire 20%
Case Summary Subtotal 50%

Discussion Board (4 Topics @2.5% each) 10%

Online Exam (MC, multiple attempts) 10%

Individual Subtotal 70%

Group Contributions: Total Team 30%

Group Formation Assignment 10%
Written Group case study, GinoSA 10%
Group Discussion Board GinoSA Debate* 10%
Group Subtotal 30%
*Each group member contributes individually to the discussion about their own
group AND other groups’ recommendations. You will note that this discussion is
worth 100% of the point values of the individual -weekly discussions, so you are
expected to actively contribute to the GinoSA debate with multiple postings.

Exam
After the first few weeks, I will post a multiple choice online exam that can be
taken anytime, for as many times as you wish. The online system will keep your
highest score from all exam attempts. The MC questions are provided by the
textbook authors, and will be randomly drawn from a bank of test questions each
time you take the exam. (I.e., no two exams will be identical). The exam, worth
10% of your grade, covers all 17 chapters in our marketing textbook, needs to be
finished by the final day of class.

The scales for final grades will be calculated as follows:

A = 93.00-100
A- = 90.00-92.99
B+ = 87.00-89.99
B = 83.00-86.99
B- = 80.00-82.99
C+ = 78.00-79.99
C = 73.00-77.99

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 C-= 70.00-72.99
D = 65.00-69.99
F = Below 65

Group Formation Exercise:

To encourage a classroom environment in our online class, we will form groups
during the first week of the course. I will ask all group members to establish
communications with their colleagues (generally through email) and work-through your
logistics and group norms during our first week of class. Your group will forward to me a
brief (2-3 pages, single-spaced) analysis of your group procedures, norms and rules. Most
of your group work will occur at the end of the semester as part of the GinoSA case
study. However, to help foster intraclass communication, I’ll encourage everyone to work
with your group throughout the entire semester.

Case Summary
This assignment requires you to write a brief 5 page summary of four cases:
Addison Lesley Walkman, Infiniti, Frigidaire, and GinoSA. Please send all assignments
to me via email (robert.heiser@maine.edu ). The case summary assignments are due via
email by Wednesday midnight.

Groups
Each group should consist of 3, 4 or 5 class members. I’ll ask for group
recommendations from class members prior to and during the first few days of the class. I
will do my best to accommodate everyone’s wishes within the constraints of a short
semester class. If I don’t receive group membership recommendations, I will randomly
assign class members into groups. (Instructor reserves the right to change group
memberships, reassign members to balance group memberships, etc.) Once a group is
formed, the same group will work on all the group-based activities during the entire
course, thus you need to form groups only once. You will work in groups for the initial
group formation assignment, the GinoSA written case summary and organizing your
group’s responses/defense of your group’s GinoSA posting during the Gino debate.

Teamwork
A large chunk of the work that you will be doing in this class will be as groups. A
large part of work in organizations is in groups and it is very important to have and
display team skills. Because the course is an applied marketing class that attempts to
prepare you for work life, it is extremely important that it inculcates good team skills
among participants. In a team the work should be equitably and fairly distributed so that
in reality it is a group effort. I am aware that sometimes there are ‘free-riders’ that do not
contribute adequately to the team or that do not carry out group activities to the
satisfaction of the other members of the group. Because the whole group can suffer due to
this, each group must ensure against such occurrences. Most times we prefer not to make
formal complaints about such individuals, preferring to redistribute the work among the
rest of us that are contributing. I leave it to you to decide for yourselves if this is the
course of action you wish to take. However if you wish to lodge a formal complaint, I
will evaluate the situation and take suitable action.

Bob Heiser MBA660

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Academic Integrity
According to the University of Southern Maine Code of Conduct, academic
integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity, allowing the pursuit of
scholarly activity in an open, honest, and responsible manner. In accordance with the
University’s Code of Conduct, you must not engage in or tolerate academic dishonesty.
This includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication of information or
citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, unauthorized possession of
examinations, submitting work of another person, or work previously used without
informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Any
violation of academic integrity will be investigated, and where warranted, punitive action
will be taken. (see http://www.usm.maine.edu/ocs/Academic%20Integrity%20-
%20Students.htm for additional information).

USM Repeat Course Policy

Any School of Business major or minor who has enrolled in an ABU, ACC, or
BUS course more than twice must, before continuing in that course, complete and have
approved by the Department Chair a "Course Condition Form" (available from the
School of Business Academic Advisors). Failure to do so may result in course credit
disqualification.

Affirmative Action & Sexual Harassment

The University of Southern Maine is committed to a policy that all persons shall
have equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to
personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as
determined by University policy. Please visit the website for the Office of Campus
Diversity & Equity (http://www.usm.maine.edu/eeo/ ) for additional information.

An Invitation to Students with Learning Disabilities & the Americans with Disabilities
Act
At any point in the semester, if you encounter difficulty with the course or feel
you could be performing at a higher level, please consult with me. Students experience
difficulty for a variety of reasons. For problems with writing skills and time
management, make an appointment to see a student tutor at the Learning Center (TLC),
253 Luther Bonney (780-4228). Help is also available through the Counseling Center,
105 Payson Smith (780-4050), and the Office of Academic Support for Students with
Disabilities, 242 Luther Bonney (780-4706; TTY 780-4395).

ADAPTATIONS: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992 mandates the

elimination of discrimination against persons with disabilities. If you need course
adaptations or accommodations because of disability please contact the Office for
Students with Disabilities, 2nd floor, 242 Luther Bonney Hall (780-4706; TTY 780-
4395).

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Schedule

Session/Week Date Day Topic Text

Reading/Assignment
Due
Week 1 Aug 30-Sept.4th Mon-Sat. Introduction, Please read the
Course syllabus thoroughly
Overview, and ask me any
Lecture 1 questions you may
have.
Ch 1
Meeting #1 Sept 1st Wednesday 7:00-9:45PM Introductory Meeting
in Wishcamper 203
Week 2 Sept 7-11th Tue.-Sat Introduction to Ch 2
Marketing

Week 3 Sept. 12-18th Mon-Sat Opportunity First Discussion

Analysis Topic thru Sat. 9/18
Ch 3

1st Group Sept.15th Wednesday 1st Group Group Formation

Assignment Assignment Assignment (one per
Due group), due.
Week 4 Sept. 19-25th Mon-Sat Consumer &
Buyer Behavior Ch 4
nd
Meeting #2 Sept 22 Wednesday 7:00-9:45PM MEXL GE Matrix
Tutorial in LB202
Week 5 Sept. 26-Oct 2nd Mon-Sat Business to Ch 5
Business
Buying
1st Case Study Sept 29th Wednesday Case 1 Addison
Individual Lesley Walker, due

Week 6 Oct 3-9th Mon-Sat Forecasting & 2nd Discussion Topic

Research Ch 6

Week 7 Oct 10-16th Mon-Sat Segmentation & Ch 7

Targeting Ch 8

Meeting #3 Oct. 13th Wednesday 7:00-9:45PM MEXL Positioning

Tutorial in LB202
Week 8 Oct 17-23rd Mon-Sat Segmentation & 3rd Discussion Topic
Targeting Ch 9
2nd Case Study Oct. 20th Wednesday Case 2 Infiniti G20
Individual Case Study due
Week 9 Oct 24-30th Mon-Sat. Marketing & Ch 10

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 Strategy
Product
Decisions
Week 10 Oct. 31-Nov6th Mon-Sat. Pricing Ch 11

Week11 Nov. 7-13th Mon-Sat. Channels Ch 12

IMC & Ch 13
Advertising
Meeting #4 Nov. 10th Wednesday 7:00-9:45PM MEXL Bass
Forecasting Tutorial
in LB202
Week12 Nov. 14-20st Mon-Sat. 4th Discussion Topic

3rd Case Study Nov 17th Wednesday Case 3 Frigidaire

Individual Case Summary
Week13 Nov. 21-27th Mon-Sat. Marketing in Ch 14
New Economy

Week14 Nov. 28-Dec. Mon-Sat. New & Ch 15

4th Growing Mkts Ch 16
Marketing in
Mature Mkts
Week15 Mon-Sat. Implementation Ch 17
Metrics Ch 18
Group Dec 5th SUNDAY GinoSA written case
Written Case study (one per group)
Study Due due .

GinoSA Dec 5-11th Sun-Sat. Debate of your group

Debate—post GinoSA
and defend recommendations,
your group’s (everyone in the
position, group contributes to
comment on the debate…worth
other group’s 10% of your grade).
recommendati The debate runs
ons. Your through the final day
contribution is of regular class,
individually Saturday, 12/11.
graded.
*Schedule and assignments are subject to change. Students are expected to regularly
check the online Blackboard course area for announcements about changes to the course
schedule and content.

Bob Heiser MBA660

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