The focus is on how institutions can effectively and efficiently transmit things of value from points of conception, extraction, and/or production to points of consumption. We will analyze marketing channels using a framework for analysis that can be used for consumer product sales, business-to-business sales, and sales of services. We will first discuss how to Interpret the demands consumers have for the productive outputs of the channel. We will then show how to describe the productive activities of channel members that reduce these valued service outputs.
We will identify the types of gaps that can exist in channel design and how to close them. We will then discuss how to manage the channel to control channel conflict and enhance channel coordination through the constructive use of channel power. Throughout these sessions, we will use lecture/discussion, case discussion, outside speakers, and a major channel audit project to develop and use the course knowledge. We will also discuss some important channel issues, such as pricing through the channel and gray marketing, In light of the analytic framework for the course.
It is an individual assignment – meaning that you are to work on it alone and hand in an individual paper on it. This assignment is worth 15% of your course grade. We will discuss what service outputs are, and how to use them to segment end-users for the purpose of channel design and management. Your assignment will be to shop either for (a) a specific book; (b) a specific movie DVD; or (c) coffee (or tea if you drink tea, not coffee). We will discuss the assignment requirements in our first class on Thursday, January 7.
Please use the electronic version of the assignment to complete the work. Please vomit a paper copy to me at the beginning of class on January 14, and also please post an electronic copy of your entire assignment to the course websites Digital Drop BOX by 6: 30 p. M. On January 14. CASE MEMOS: We will be discussing seven cases in class other than the major case (Verbal, Laura Ashley and Federal Express Strategic Alliance, Guarantee Mutual, Chem., Mary Kay, Michaels Crafts Stores, and Monomial). You are required to complete an individually done case memo for two of the seven cases.
Each case memo is due in to me (paper copy please) at the beginning of class on the day we discuss the case. You must also vomit your memo electronically to the course’s Digital Drop Box on the course expected to answer for each case memo are in your course packet Just in front of the case itself. I will not give credit for late memos! You will have a chance to choose which case memos to hand in, subject to an approximately even number of students doing each case memo. I will have sign-up sheets available in class for you to sign up for your preferred case memo times.
To recapitulate: (a) individually-done case memos are due to me for two of the seven cases we discuss in class other than the major group case; (b) each case memo is to e handed in as a paper copy at 2 the beginning of class on the day we discuss the case; and (c) you must also submit an electronic copy to the course’s Digital Drop Box. Please note that you are expected to prepare every case for in-class discussion, even if you are not scheduled to turn in a case memo that day. Insufficient preparation will hamper your ability to participate in class and to learn from the case.
CLASS PARTICIPATION AND CASE DISCUSSION: Each student is expected to participate regularly in class discussions. A substantial part of the benefit that you will derive from the assignments is a function of your illnesses to expose your viewpoints and conclusions to the critical Judgment of the class, as well as of your ability to build upon and evaluate critically the Judgments of your classmates. It is very important that all of you come prepared to air your views in class. I have provided suggested questions for you to prepare in studying the cases before class.
In general, you should view preparing the cases as an opportunity to practice using the analytical tools we are developing in class. 10 percent of your grade depends on class participation. Effective (I. E. , quality as well as quantity of) participation can Hereford mean the difference between a higher and lower grade. Regular class attendance is crucial to good class participation. WRITTEN GROUP CASE ASSIGNMENT: 20% of your final course grade will depend on your written analysis of the BMW Project Switch (A): Importers vs.. National Sales Companies Case (due on Thursday, February 18 – week 7 of class).
The case assignment should be done by you in teams. Teams should include no fewer than 3 and no more than 5 people. Your team will submit a Joint document (not individual ones) summarizing your evaluation and analysis of the firm’s problems, and your suggestions for action. It is up to you to analyze the workings of the current channel, identify problems in its design or management, and suggest solutions to those problems. You will be evaluated on your ability to apply the general analytical concepts we develop in class to the specific situation you see in the case.
Your written case is limited to 2500 words of text, plus no more than 15 exhibits. Please submit a paper copy of your written case and an electronic copy to the course websites Digital Drop Box. On the case analysis due date, one team will have the opportunity to present their case analysis orally to the lass, rather than submitting a written paper to me. Teams wishing to do an oral from among the interested teams to allocate the oral presentation slot. If no teams volunteer for the oral presentation, I will allocate the oral presentation randomly to one of the teams.
GROUP CHANNEL AUDIT ASSIGNMENT: You will be required to perform an audit of a specific firm’s existing distribution channel as part of the course requirements. Your audit will count for 35% of your final course grade, and is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, March 11 – week 10 of class. This audit will consist of a report describing the current state of the Handel (its structure, members, allocation of channel functions and 3 flows, ability to meet target customer segments’ demands for service outputs, gap analysis, and power and conflict characteristics), as well as suggestions for improvement of the channel design and management.
You will be introduced to templates and analytic tools over the course of the quarter that will equip you to do this real-world analysis. You are responsible for finding a firm whose distribution channel you wish to study. You should do your best to use both primary (e. G. , personal interview) and secondary (e. G. , library research) data to perform your analyses. Your audit should include bibliographic references and citations to any secondary sources you use (business press articles, Journals, books, etc. ) as well as mentioning the names, titles, and companies of any people you interview for the audit.
You will be graded on the quality of your analysis and recommendations and on your ability to apply the analytic concepts from class to your chosen distribution channel situation. It is best to study a pre-existing channel rather than a firm’s plans to enter a new market and build up a new channel. However, if you wish to look at a case of new raked entry, you may do so, but please include an analysis of the firm’s pre-existing channel for other products and suggestions for altering it for the new product or market.
Please work on your audit in the same teams you form for your major case analysis. The report should be no more than 3000 words long, plus no more than 15 pages of exhibits. As with the team case, please turn in a paper copy of your paper to me and also submit a digital copy to the course websites Digital Drop Box. Each team should also plan on a brief presentation about their channel audit to the rest of the class on March 11. FINAL EXAM There is no final exam in this course. CONTACTING ME I will routinely use e-mail to communicate with you about various course-related issues.
Please view e-mail as a useful supplementary way to get in touch with me, ask me questions about course notes and concepts, and run case or project ideas by me. I check e-mail almost every day (but only sporadically on weekends). My e-mail address is:[email protected]Northwestern. Du . I am also available to meet with class on Thursday nights as well. THE HONOR CODE Students in this class are expected to abide by the honor code approved both by the students and by the faculty.
When doing your written graded assignments for this class, you are not permitted to copy material from assignments done by students who have taken this class in the past (this would be plagiarism). Individual assignments are to be done individually, without collaborating with other students. Cooperation between teams in preparing team assignments is also prohibited. It is also an honor code violation to sign in on an attendance sheet for someone who is absent from class, or to otherwise misrepresent one’s lack of attendance at class. Please remember that the honor code requires that any student observing another detent or other students violating the honor code inform the professor of that violation. Failure to do so is in itself a violation of the honor code. Clearly, activities such as sharing class notes or discussing in-class materials outside of class are not honor code violations. Indeed, I want to encourage such interaction among you, because it enhances learning.
