BUS602: Marketing Management

Welcome to BUS602: Marketing Management

Specific information about this course and its requirements can be found below. For more general information about taking Saylor Academy courses, including information about Community and Academic Codes of Conduct, please read the Student Handbook.

Course Description

Learn the role of marketing in developing and executing a firm's business strategy by solving marketing problems and creating marketing plans.

Course Introduction

In this course, you will learn the important components of marketing and marketing strategy. Since this is a graduate-level course, we will take a strategic approach as we navigate through the various units. You are therefore expected to think strategically as a marketing manager or upper level marketing executive does. We will begin with the strategic planning process and the role of marketing in this process. We will then move into the external environment and address various components of the external environment within which the marketer must function. Afterwards, we will look at the marketing mix, otherwise referred to as the 4Ps of marketing: product, price, promotion, and place. Marketers exercise the components of the marketing mix in accordance with the teaching plan of the firm, while confronted with the dynamic aspects of the external environment. Finally, you will discover the importance of a strategic marketing plan, and learn how the marketing plan aligns with the mission and vision of the firm and the stated objectives of the firm's strategic plan.

This course includes the following units:

• Unit 1: Marketing and Strategic Planning
• Unit 2: Environmental Scanning, Firm Resources, and Capabilities
• Unit 3: Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning, and Branding
• Unit 4: Consumer, Organizational, and Service Marketing
• Unit 5: Product Life Cycle, Marketing Research, and Product Development
• Unit 6: Channels of Distribution, Supply Chain, and Logistics
• Unit 7: Promotion and Pricing
• Unit 8: The Marketing Plan

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• describe the role that marketing plays in the economy, and its importance within the corporate structure, and the broader global environment;
• describe the strategic marketing management process;
• apply analytical skills in solving marketing problems involving unstructured situations with incomplete information;
• evaluate the marketing environment, buying behavior, marketing mix, and marketing opportunities for domestic and international business;
• Apply the managerial tools of marketing planning and forecasting, the role of marketing research, marketing information systems, and applications to the decision-making process;
• describe the various classifications of consumer and industrial goods and the relationship to segmentation, using demographic and psychographic information;
• identify the key elements of product development, product differentiation, product life cycle, pricing strategies, and the value of branding and packaging as it applies to new and existing products and services;
• identify components of channel strategy, promotional mix, and promotional strategy for bringing a product or service to market, or changing its appeal;
• explain the role of ethical marketing activities as they influence and are influenced by the uncontrollable economy, government regulations, society, and culture; and
• demonstrate knowledge of the elements required in a marketing plan.

Throughout this course, you will also see learning outcomes in each unit. You can use those learning outcomes to help organize your studies and gauge your progress.

Course Materials

The primary learning materials for this course are readings, lectures, and videos.

All course materials are free to access, and can be found in each unit of the course. Pay close attention to the notes that accompany these course materials, as they will tell you what to focus on in each resource, and will help you to understand how the learning materials fit into the course as a whole. You can also see a list of all the learning materials in this course by clicking on Resources in the navigation bar.

Evaluation and Minimum Passing Score

Only the final exam is considered when awarding you a grade for this course. In order to pass this course, you will need to earn 70% or higher on the final exam. Your score on the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. There is a 7-day waiting period between each attempt. Be sure to study in between each attempt!

There are also end-of-unit assessments in this course. These are designed to help you study, and do not factor into your final course grade. You can take these as many times as you want to, until you understand the concepts and material covered. You can see all of these assessments by clicking on Quizzes in the course's navigation bar.

Tips for Success

BUS602: Marketing Management is a self-paced course, which means that you can decide when you will start and when you will complete the course. There is no instructor or set schedule to follow. We estimate that the "average" student will take 45 hours to complete this course. We recommend that you work through the course at a pace that is comfortable for you and allows you to make regular progress. It's a good idea to also schedule your study time in advance and try as best as you can to stick to that schedule.

Learning new material can be challenging, so we've compiled a few study strategies to help you succeed:

• Take notes on the various terms, practices, and theories that you come across. This can help you put each concept into context, and will create a refresher that you can use as you study later on.
• As you work through the materials, take some time to test yourself on what you remember and how well you understand the concepts. Reflecting on what you've learned is important for your long-term memory, and will make you more likely to retain information over time.

Technical Requirements

This course is delivered entirely online. You will be required to have access to a computer or web-capable mobile device and have consistent access to the internet to either view or download the necessary course resources and to attempt any auto-graded course assessments and the final exam.

• To access the full course including assessments and the final exam, you will need to be logged into your Saylor Academy account and enrolled in the course. If you do not already have an account, you may create one for free here. 

For additional guidance, check out Saylor Academy's FAQ.

Fees

This course is entirely free to enroll in and to access. Everything linked in the course, including textbooks, videos, webpages, and activities, are all available for no charge. This course also contains a free final exam and course completion certificate.