Strategic International Marketing (5cr)

Objectives (course unit)

This course will deepen the participants’ knowledge and understanding of customer behavior.
The participants will examine and learn to apply both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect and analyze customer information. They will examine the concepts of value creation and customer / user centric design of products and services and the role of customer data as an essential part of strategy development .

After completing the course, the participants will be able to
- explain the role of customer analysis and insight in strategy development
- describe the impact of the global context in customer analysis
- apply the concept of service oriented design
- employ the methods of customer and target group analysis
- use various tools to develop his/her own business and design innovative new concepts based on customer and market insight
- develop customer centric metrics for balanced scorecard

Content (course unit)

Course contents
- customer oriented strategy
- value creation and value co-creation
- design thinking
- customer insight methods

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

The student is able to identify phases of traditional marketing planning process, and recognise the impact of global context. The student is able to describe the concept of customer value and is able to participate in a marketing development project based on a given procedure like design thinking.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

The student is able to compare traditional marketing planning process to modern value-based strategic marketing planning also in a global context. The student is able to apply modern development tools like design thinking into strategic level problem solving. The student takes responsibility in the group activity developing solutions to a strategic level problems.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The student is able to analyse the impacts of the use of traditional marketing planning process compared to modern value-based strategic marketing planning in a global context. The student is able to apply strategic planning tools such as design thinking, and find creative solutions into strategic level problems. The student takes leading role in the group activity showing understanding of the features and needs of the industry in question.

Location and time

The Course starts January 17, 2020 at 8:30 in Class B5-31. The first meeting is a whole day intensive workshop initiating the team project. This course, as a whole, is based on workshop activities during (and outside) class hours, and active participation in ALL class meetings is required.

Exam schedules

No exam

Assessment methods and criteria

Individual assignments 20%
Team projedt 60%
Acting as opponent to another team 20%

Assessment scale

0-5

Teaching methods

Co-operative learning, team assignment, essay, online discussions

Learning materials

Will be published in course Moodle.

Student workload

The total computational workload of this 5 credit course is 135 hours, out of which about 18 hours is contact teaching and 118 hours independendt / team work.

Content scheduling

Class meetings:
January 17 8:30 - 16:30 Introduction, Strategic Marketing, Team Project initiation
January 30 Results of research and analysis part of the project, ideation
February 14 Concept development, prototype testing
March 20 Development of the final solution


In between the meetings there will be teamwork and some individual assignments.

Completion alternatives

None

Practical training and working life cooperation

Course project will be based on co-operation with a company, preferably one of the student's employers. The students may suggest marketing related problems to work with.

Further information

The students should notice that unlike other courses, this course requires presence in the class meetings.

Assessment criteria - fail (0) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

You have a poor understanding of strategic marketing.
You fail to describe trends in society and industry industry, the competitors of Voglia or the consumer needs in a relevant way based on limited research.
You have problems in identifying the business problem of the case company and relate this to the strategic marketing issues of the company.
You describe a few or just one idea, which not logically are the answer to the challenges of the case company.
You fail to develop any viable solution to the initial marketing problem.

Assessment criteria - satisfactory (1-2) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

You have a basic understanding of strategic marketing.
You describe some relevant trends in society and industry in question, the competitors of the case company and in customer needs in a understandable way, based on limited desk and field research.
You have a basic understanding of the business problem of the case company. . This leads to a problem definition.
You develop a scenario, that is more or less predictable, as possible solution for the challenge.
You further develop a solution, which might be possible for the case company.

Assessment criteria - good (3-4) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

You describe and analyze relevant trends in society and industry in question, and the competitors in a structured way, based on limited desk and field research. You have some insight in customer needs and behavior.
You have a broad understanding of strategic marketing, which helps you to understand the business problem of the case company. You relate the present performance to some elements of the external analysis. This leads to a clear problem definition.
You develop different scenarios and innovative possible solutions for the challenge.
You select and further develop the most suitable, feasible and acceptable solution that contributes to the marketing strategy for the case company.

Assessment criteria - excellent (5) (Not in use, Look at the Assessment criteria above)

You describe, analyse and evaluate relevant trends in society and industry in question and the competition in a structured way, based on extensive desk and field research. You have insight in customer needs and behavior in terms of cognitive and affective components relevant for the case.
You have a broad and in depth understanding of strategic marketing which enables you to clearly understand and identify the business problem of the case company. You relate the present performance to trends in society and industry, and the competitors and to customer behaviour and needs. This leads to a clear and correct problem definition.
You develop innovative and creative possible logical solutions for the challenge, that fit the strategy of the case company.
You select and further develop the most suitable, feasible and acceptable solution that contributes to a consistent imarketing strategy for the case company.