Business Administration C10/D10, MARKETING III, 10 credits Syllabus, course C10/D10 Business Administration (Advanced level) Course code: FEKC08 Responsibility: The Department of Business Administration Subject: Business Administration Level: C/D Field of education: Social Science This course is a course at the C/D-level for a BSc- or a MSc-degree at the University of Umeå. The course can also be included in the study programmes in Business Administration and Economics at the Umeå Business School. 1. Resolution to arrange the course The course is established by the Faculty of Social Science at Umeå University and the syllabus was confirmed by the Board of Business Administration on 11 th June, 1998. Valid from November 2, 1998. 2. Objective and contents The purpose of the course is to gain knowledge in the fields of marketing research and business strategy. Within these two integrating disiplines the course aims to give skills in different methods for collecting, analysing and reporting market information and in different pespectives for transforming marketing plans and decisions into an overall business strategy. Module 1 Marketing Research (5 credits) Objectives: To give student training in defining marketing problems. To give students knowledge about the need of market information and how to structure internal and external information in a market information system (MIS). To give students knowledge about the different research methods that can be used in order to handle marketing problems. To give students knowledge about different statistical techniques for collecting, analysing and reporting market information. In this course information about existing and potential markets is seen as a key issue in business management. The need of information differs between different situations. Therefore skills in defining marketing problems and the need of information connected to those problems are crucial for decision makers. To handle the need of market information this course stress on systematic methods for collecting, analysing and reporting market information. Within this approach special interest is given the construction and function of market information systems (MIS). The course is concentrating on statistical marketing research methods. The whole research process is covered which includes topics such as research design, data collecting techniques, sampling, data analysis and reporting. Special interest is given the connection between marketing problems and the information produced by different statistical methods. The course is structured in the same way as a research process. This includes both lectures and a project assignment where the students have to define a problem, design suitable research and give a presentation of their work. Module 2 Business Policy and Strategy (5 credits) Objectives: To create understanding of the role that business policy and strategy plays in different contexts To gain knowledge about the historical development of different theoretical frameworks To train the student to adapt necessary skills concerning strategic formulation, strategic analysis and strategic implementation. This module is concerned with business policy and strategy. Business policy is the study of the functions and responsibilities of general management and the problems which affect the character and success of the total enterprise. Business policy is concerned with choosing of visions and then organizing and managing to commit scarce resources to the pursuit of those visions within the context of an imperfect, changing and competitive world. Visions have to be concretized in a stepwise process that integrates action sequences into a cohesive whole. The strategy concept is introduced as a boundary-spanning label in this context. Different perspectives on strategy content and strategy processes are examined. The strategy content perspective addresses the scope of the firm and the ways of competing within individual markets. It is concerned with a effective positioning of the firm vis-á-vis environment. The strategy process perspective view strategies as parts of ongoing organizational processes. The processual perspective develop the discource of strategy in a way that will enable the leader to be more effective in circumventing the internal organizational obstacles to change. It focuses on the way in wich values and meanings within the organization are crucial determinants of the change process. 3. Prerequisites Students require a minimum of 30 credits from the A- and B-level courses in Business Administration for entry to the course. 4. Teaching methods The core topics of the course will be covered by lectures and seminars. The students will also meet guestlecturers and case studies. The students will be demanded to make oral and written presentations on several occaisions. Students are expected to participate actively in lectures, seminars, case analyses and presentation. 5. Examination Attendence in seminars and case presentations are required to pass the course. A written term paper (PM) and a written comprehensive examination (tentamen) is also required on each module. The following grading system is used, Pass with distinction (Väl godkänd, Vg), Pass (Godkänd, G) and Fail (Underkänd, U). Swedish-speaking students should for additional information this and the next section refer to the syllabus "Företagsekonomi C10/D10" confirmed by the Board of Business Administration 1993 or later. Further information can also be obtained from the student counsellor. 6. Utilization et cetera In cases Where there are aplicants from abroad the course language will be English. Otherwise, parts of the course may be taught in English. Information on language aspects can be obtained from the student counsellor. 7. Readings and other material, Business Administration C10/D10, Marketing III, 10 credits Module 1 Market Research (5 credits) Malhotra, N.K. Marketing Research - an applied orientation. Latest edition.Prentice Hall Department of Business Administration, Articles and Cases. Module 2 Business Policy and Strategy (5 credits) Department of Business Administration, Articles and cases. Studentexpeditionen. Mintzbeg, H Quinn, J B & Gohsal, S The Strategy Process - European Edition. Paperback 13 149626 3. Prentice Hall 1994 Reference readings Porter, M.E., Competitive Strategy. The Free Press. Latest ed. Normann, R., Management for Growth. John Wiley. Latest ed