John M. Olin School of Business, Washington University

Faculty & Coursework

MKT 500A. Electronic Commerce and Internet Marketing TheThe growth of the Internet and other computer networks has created a revolutionary and dynamic new way of\par conducting business. The purpose of this course is to introduce, examine, analyze, and evaluate the most\par important marketing concepts facing firms who wish to compete in this new environment.

MKT 5500. Marketing Management This course introduces the substantive and functional aspects of marketing management. Specific course goals are as follows: 1) to introduce students to marketing strategy and the elements of marketing analysis: customer analysis, competitor analysis, and company analysis; 2) to familiarize students with the elements of the marketing mix (product strategy, pricing, advertising and promotion, and distribution), and to enhance their problem-solving and decision-making abilities in these operational areas of marketing; 3) to use marketing case studies to provide an opportunity (both written and oral) to develop, present, and defend a student’s own recommendations, and to examine and discuss the recommendations of others critically.

MKT 5501. Marketing Analysis Taught from a general management perspective, this course emphasizes the critical importance of the fit of the core components of a business with the demands of the marketplace. Major emphasis concerns whether marketing programs 1) address consumer needs, 2) are well positioned with respect to competitors, 3) build on company strengths, and 4) are socially responsive.

MKT 5502. Marketing Policy Taught from a marketing manager’s perspective, this course examines issues frequently faced by managers when designing policy as regards the elements of the marketing mix. Emphasis is placed on the policy-creating process, involving market research, strategy selection, choice of tactics, and drawing up detailed action plans.

MKT 551. Strategic Market Analysis Success in a competitive environment requires strategic planning with the goal of identifying, creating and exploiting sustainable advantages. The key step in this is analyzing the general market forces, your customers, and competitors. In this course we will identify recent trends in marketing practices and institutions that set the background for making strategic decisions. We will then discuss and analyze strategic problems such as price competition in heterogeneous markets, supply chain management etc. to sharpen your ability to undertake such analysis.

MKT 551B. Marketing Strategy - Decision Making and Implementation The goal of marketing strategy is the creation and exploitation of a sustainable advantage. When the analysis presents a firm with options how do you decide which action to pursue? How should you evaluate the\par profitability and impact of these strategies? How to implement these and how to change these when your customers and competitors respond differently than what you predicted?

MKT 552. Fundamentals of Pricing Decisions This course is designed to equip you with some essential concepts and techniques needed to make profitable\par decisions about one of the most important marketing variables - price. The course is structured around four fundamental factors that firms need to consider in their pricing decisions: costs, customers, competitors and\par climate (legal environment). Through an airline pricing game, case studies, and in-class discussions, this course will provide you with a conceptual framework, grounded in modern economics and consumer psychology, for analyzing a complex marketing environment and designing proactive pricing strategies that are most profitable for your business.

MKT 552B. Pricing Strategies The focus of this course is on pricing tactics and strategies that are proven to be profitable for firms. Through case studies, lectures, and practical exercises, this course will help you to gain insights into successful pricing strategies in various industries and to develop your own skills necessary to make the most important business decision - pricing, in your organization. Topics of discussion include pricing over the product life cycle, discounting, price bundling, price discrimination, pricing through the channel, competitive bids, strategic pricing, etc.

MKT 553. Customer Driven New Product Design This course examines the issues involved in the design and development of a new product or service. We start by examining the market (product class) or markets in which the firm is considering either repositioning an existing brand or introducing a new one. We study how consumers choose or perceive a brand/product in the relevant product class. This includes the theory and estimation of the multi-attribute model (through such procedures as factor analysis and conjoint analysis). We then study how to reposition an existing brand, or evaluate a new brand concept and optimally design a new brand.

MKT 553B. New Product Strategies This course concentrates on the marketing mix design, market test, and sales forecast for the new product. Conditional on the completion of a new product design, we review the procedures for pre-testing and market testing the new product. We also review how to test advertising effectiveness and how to design other marketing mix policies. We then evaluate different sales forecast techniques and simulate financial predictions for such new product venture.

MKT 555. Brand Management Examines the formulation of strategies for building, leveraging and defending brands, and the management of programs that influence consumer and channel behavior. Beginning with a discussion of consumer purchasing behavior, the course develops the concept of brand equity and its measurement. Strategies for building new brands and extending and defending the equity in established brands are analyzed. Introduces current thinking about communication and promotion strategy, and how their ability to influence consumers and channel intermediaries can be improved. Issues such as the evolution of cooperative channel activities (e. g. , the efficient consumer response movement) and the rise of electronic commerce and its impact on brand buildingstrategy will also be discussed.

MKT 556. Services Marketing and Management This course is designed for students interested in understanding services and helping organizations leverage service for value creation, market differentiation and competitive advantage. Services, for the purpose of this course, will be interpreted to include all activities in which a service is provided (possibly including a physical tangible product as part of it). The objectives of this course are: 1) an integrated understanding of the relationship between various aspects of marketing and management in successful creation and delivery of value added services, and, 2) a set of analytical frameworks, concepts and tools for critical thinking about service and service related activities.

MKT 556A. Services Marketing and Management This course is designed for students interested in understanding services and helping organizations leverageservice for value creation, market differentiation and competitive advantage. Services, for the purpose of this course, will be interpreted to include all activities in which a service is provided (possibly including a\par physical tangible product as part of it).

MKT 556B. Integrated Services marketing and Management The course builds on the frameworks developed in MKT 556A develops an integrated understanding of the relationship between various aspects of marketing and management in successful creation and delivery of value added services. The course will be built on a series of modules that focus on contemporary issues/challenges in services marketing.

MKT 571. Marketing Research Applies the scientific method to research in marketing. Topics include problem definition, research design, sampling theory, measurement, data collection, analysis, and communication of findings. Provides application and practice through the study of cases and the design and conduct of a field research project.

MKT 573. Advertising Management Focuses on decision areas involved in the management of mass communications. Employs study of theoretical frameworks, analysis of relevant decision models, and exercises in the development of advertising programs to build practical skills in the management of the advertising function.

MKT 579C International Marketing Management Addresses three fundamental decisions confronting a company whose operations extend beyond the domestic market: 1) choosing which foreign markets to penetrate; 2) determining the mode of market entry; and 3) devising the international marketing plan. Topics include global marketing planning; environmental and cultural influences on international marketing decisions; organizational and control issues in international marketing decisions; global marketing intelligence; foreign risk and feasibility studies; and issues of ethics in other countries.

MKT 579D. Persuasion and Consumer Behavior This course uses psychological, sociological, and related social science approaches to understand consumer information processing, attitude formation, and attitude change. Building on this foundation, the course emphasizes strategic implications for creating and managing perceptions and attitudes toward the firm, brand, advertising, and related topics. The course is particularly appropriate for those interested in consumer marketing, brand management, advertising, and related areas of marketing.

MKT 579E. Consumer Decision Making and Consumer Satisfaction This course uses psychological, sociological, and related social science approaches to understand consumer decision making, choice processes, and post-purchase satisfaction judgments. Building on this foundation, the course emphasizes strategic implications for managing brand loyalty, customer satisfaction, retail environments, and related topics. The course is particularly appropriate for those interested in consumer marketing, brand management, retail management, and related areas of marketing.

MKT 579F. Retail Management Surveys the activities involved in marketing goods and services directly to final consumers in the rapidly changing and highly competitive retail marketplace. Explores non-store strategies including direct marketing, Internet marketing and television shopping opportunities. Store-based forms of retailing, including superstores, wholesale club stores, specialty stores, department stores and food stores, will be examined. Topics may include real estate selection, positioning, merchandise assortments, and operations strategy.

MKT 579G. Contemporary Marketing Channels In this course we examine the important strategic issues related to marketing channels. Important topics include: conflict versus cooperation in marketing channels, the coordination problems between manufacturers and retailers, vertical restrictions, channel leadership, firm boundary and channel structure, franchising, and public policy toward marketing channels.

MKT 579H. Consumer Behavior Examines the second but equally important half in the marketing transaction, the consumer. Successful marketing management depends ultimately on an understanding of the consumer. It is the goal of the course to help increase this understanding. The discipline base is behavioral science. We will examine how methods from such fields as cognitive and social psychology decision theory, and sociology are applied to marketing. Course content focuses on behavioral aspects of marketing, the processes involved in purchase and consumption, and the purchase decision. Some of the topics covered include: information search and use, product evaluation, conjoint analysis, consumer decision strategies, subliminal advertising, psychographics and lifestyle, symbolism in advertising, persuasion, how elements in ads affect their effectiveness, environmental factors (e. g. , music, odors, touch) affecting purchase decisions, salespersons’ traits, and impulse buying and self-control.