FSA-3107: Simulation: Development of Global Markets

Transcription

1 E FSA-3107: Simulation: Development of Global Markets SECTION A Autumn 2011 Professors: Dr Nancy Haskell Dr. Donald Béliveau Course timetable: Classroom (workshops) : Wednesdays 15:30 to 18:20 Room 3307 PAP from September 6, 2011, to December 14, 2011 see class schedule Course website: Prerequisites : Principles of marketing (ex : MRK-1000 or MRK-1101) and International marketing (ex: MRK-3101 or MRK-3102 or other introduction to international marketing course) *General information Nancy Haskell Ph.D., MBA Pavillon Palasis-Prince, Office 2421 Nancy.Haskell@mrk.ulaval.ca (Indicate on subject line of MRK-3107 then type the subject) ext Secretary: Office hours: Consultation by appointment Donald Béliveau Ph.D., CA, CMA Pavillon Palasis-Prince, Office 2431 Donald.Beliveau@mrk.ulaval.ca (Indicate on subject line: MRK-3107 then type the subject) ext Secretary: Technical support: The professors and a representative of Interpretive.com will furnish the technical support. *Course Description *Introduction This undergraduate course is designed to be taken simultaneously or after completion of an introductory course in International Marketing. It is assumed that the student has also completed one or two semesters of first-year business courses. The analyses and decisions related to foreign markets will allow you the opportunity to integrate your knowledge as a member of an international marketing management team working for a North American consumer-products company. The management team s mandate is to introduce a line of consumer goods into the most promising markets in Latin American and to develop the region. The simulation will allow you to develop your global conscience; to base decisions on analysis, team debate, and good judgment; to understand how to analyse and correct errors; and to develop your effectiveness as a team member. The course plan is a contract between you and the professors. It defines a working procedure for the course material, your path and progress, and the requirements you must meet. If you have questions or comments, please contact us.

2 Note on the course workload: Undergraduate university courses require an average of approximately 9 hours of work per week. 1 You should be fully aware that to undertake this course successfully you must have the time to devote to it. In addition, it requires intensive teamwork both in and outside of class. When the simulation begins after Class 6, regular class hours are normally devoted to team meetings (weeks 7 through 12); however, a second team meeting as well as individual work during the week will very often be necessary. *General objectives On a very general level, this course permits the student (a) to develop his/her global consciousness (b) to improve his/her ability to base decisions on thorough analysis, team debate, and good judgment, and (c) to develop his/her effectiveness as a team member. On the content level, the student will learn (a) to apply different frameworks or models for foreign market analysis and target-market choice and (b) to analyze and judge the appropriateness of modifying particular components of the global marketing mix (product/service, distribution, communication, price) for these markets, and (c) to integrate his/her own reflections with the frameworks and concepts learned in the prerequisite international marketing course. *Specific objectives Knowledge dimensions : This course permits the student to integrate and to practice a domain of knowledge related to the analysis and planning for international marketing. Among other subjects, the student will be able to understand: the market evaluation and selection process the impact of judicious integration of controllable variables the challenges posed by uncontrollable variables at work during the introduction and commercialization of a product/service into foreign markets the regional market-expansion and development process the value of certain analysis frameworks, concepts, and factors related to international marketing management. For example : o the importance of segmentation of foreign markets o the strategic dimension of targeting markets and positioning products in foreign target markets o the importance of consumer price sensitivity combined with preferences for product attributes o how to analyze the reactions of intermediaries to marketing efforts o how to analyze the reactions of direct competitors having the objective of protecting/developing their target markets o the appropriateness of adapting versus standardizing elements of the marketing program within the international marketing plan o the importance of recurrent themes in the international domaine which are related to international marketing and commerce (ex : bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, the economic environment, the political situation...). Behavioral dimensions : At the end of the course, within the context of developing international markets, you should be able to contribute to discussions, analyses, and decisions related to: o Market planning and entry: The analysis and choice of potential foreign markets and production location Planning of local and regional development of foreign markets 1 A traditional course represents normally 3 hours in class plus 6 hours of personal study and teamwork per week, on average, for 15 weeks, for a total of 135 hours. The student may thus expect 9 hours of work on average. Some weeks will require more hours, some less, depending on the tasks to be accomplished as well as on the students abilities and on team efficiency. Université Laval Faculté des sciences de l administration Page 2 of 7

3 o The identification of domestic and foreign international factors which influence the international activities of the company International marketing planning and strategy: and, more specifically, the development of a marketing program(s) for the targeted foreign markets. STP: segmentation and target markets, brand positioning objectives Distribution: Choice of channel partners and promotional support Pricing: MSRP by SKU in local currency, channel discounts and slotting allowances Advertising: Budget, theme, and cultural/language adaptation considerations Product: Choice of product formats (SKUs) The construction of global brand equity. While taking into consideration 1. the impact of culture on the international marketing plan to be developed and, consequently, the appropriate degree of standardization and/or adaptation of the company s international marketing strategies, 2. customer, channel, and competitive analysis: the analysis of the needs and preferences of potential customers and channel members; the strategies and réactions of competitors 3. the profitability of international marketing operations: the cost-profit relationships of simple operational statements over the course of the development of foreign markets. *Alignment between courses and program goals and objectives Goals of the B.B.A. program Degree of achievement permitted by this course 2 Activities which permit the achievement of the goal and performance-based measures 3 1.Learn to make decisions. Initiate, develop, integrate Activities in the simulation: individual analysis, team collaborative analysis, team discussions, team decisions. Analyze market results and correct errors in strategy. Measures: Reports presented to the V-P Marketing at corporate headquarters; performance reports; oral presentation to Board of Directors; team crossevaluations. 2.Communicate effectively (written, oral) Develop, integrate Activities in the Simulation: team discussions, team decisions, team reports and oral presentation Measures: Team reports to the VP Marketing at company headquarters and oral presentation to the Board of Directors; team cross-evaluations. 3.Collaborate and work as a team member Develop, integrate Activities in the simulation: participation in analysis, team discussions, team decisions, team reports and presentation to the Vice-President of Marketing at company headquarters. Measures: Team reports to the VP Marketing at company headquarters and oral presentation to the Board of Directors, team cross-evaluations. 2 Initiated means that learning is becoming evident in line with the program s goals and objective. Developing indicates identifiable learning in relation to the goals and objectives. Integrated means that the goals and objectives are understood and applied in a relevant manner in a variety of new contexts and situations. A course may incorporate one or more of the program s goals and objectives. It may also initiate the learning process towards one goal and integrate the learning of another, depending on the particular abilities and skills on which the course focuses. 2 This refers to the evaluation methods used in the course to assess the degree of achievement of the program goals, for example: case study, open exam question, project, portfolio, quiz, etc. The same evaluation methods could be used to collect Assurance of Learning data. 3 This refers to the evaluation methods used in the course to assess the degree of achievement of the program goals, for example: case study, open exam questions, project, quiz, etc. The same evaluation methods could be used to collect Assurance of Learning data. Université Laval Faculté des sciences de l administration Page 3 of 7

4 4. Be open to the world Develop Activities in the simulation: multicultural teamwork (when possible), analysis of Latin American consumers in several countries. Measure: Team cross-evaluation; team reports to the VP Marketing at company headquarters and oral presentation to the Board of Directors, autoevaluation. 5.Master technological tools Integrate Activities in the simulation: mastering the simulation software to be able to locate data, using tables and graphs to understand data, preparing PowerPoint slides to communicate with upper management, following trends, Measure: team evaluations 6.Be open to change Initiate, develop, integrate Activity: Readings Measure: auto-evaluation 7.Adopt ethical behavior Initiate Activity: Team interaction. Measure: team cross-evaluations, auto-evaluation *Instructional approach The job assigned to you : Participate in an international marketing management team (within the simulation) which has been given the task of evaluating and selecting Latin American markets and then introducing and commercializing a line of the company s consumer products in targeted markets. The course uses a dynamic teaching approach which permits you to apply international marketing concepts to decision making, to make errors, to analyze the results, and then to correct strategy. During this process, you will deepen and learn to adjust, as necessary, your framework of knowledge and gain confidence in your ability to analyze market-related data, interpret it, and make appropriate decisions based on both the results of analysis and informed judgment. The teaching materials and the format used facilitate a learning process based on collaboration, communication and individual work and will help you manage your time in a way that is flexible yet structured. Below is a list of learning activities that will be used in the course: Required and suggested reading The Country Manager student manual is required reading. It provides the details of the simulation environment and background information on potential country markets. In addition, it provides structured information and suggestions about decision making in important areas of international marketing management that complement the material given in class. It should be fully read during the practice periods and then referred to during the actual simulation. PowerPoint presentations The course incorporates a brief review of specific frameworks and concepts of international marketing which may be useful in the course. PowerPoint slides used in class will be posted to the course website. Video capsules Occasionally, brief virtual presentations of more complex subjects may be available on the course website. Course Website and Forum The student is responsible for regularly visiting the course website, which will be updated from time to time. On the course website, a forum is available for students to communicate with one another. The professors will read all forum messages once a week, normally Monday in the afternoon, to add reflections to discussions or correct misconceptions, if necessary. However, urgent questions concerning the assignments and the specific information related to your firm may be sent directly to one of the professors. In-class exercises In-class, hands-on exercises are designed to help you master the simulation environment and to interpret market, data. Assignments (3) Early assignments allow the student to concentrate on certain analysis frameworks one at a time, under the supervision of the professors. These analyses will then be incorporated into the Regional Expansion and International marketing plans (Assignments 1 and 2). The before mentioned plans take the form of brief, formal written memorandums to top management to present and justify team strategy and plans (supported by appropriate appendices). Assignment #3 encourages students/teams to look back at their Université Laval Faculté des sciences de l administration Page 4 of 7

5 performance, to discuss major strategy modifications, and to consolidate lessons learned. Consult the Evaluation section for more information. Quizzes During Class 6, you must pass (a) the CM quiz (at Interpretive.com) which verifies understanding of the simulation case and (b) an in-class, hands-on research-information-in-the-simulation quiz to demonstrate your ability to contribute to team analyses. Consult the Evaluation section for more information. Supervision The hybrid teaching format allows you to learn and to practice international marketing management tasks in a step-by-step manner. During this process, the professors will teach you certain things, will give you hands-on experience with the simulation, and will be your consultants during the actual simulation. *Evaluations and Grading *Evaluations *Summative Description Date due or date of event Submission Type of work Weighting 2 CM quizzes Class 6 (Oct. 12) In class Individual 10% 3 Assignments Classes 5, 8, 13 (Oct. 5, Oct. 26, Dec. 7) DépotDoc Team 80% Simulation performance Class 13 Fin du cours Team Participation Fin du cours Team evaluations et professors evaluation Individual 10% *Additional information on the summative evaluations Practical work (simulation and performance) 80% Description and instructions Practical work is intended to assess your learning and your ability to apply and translate ideas studied to actual situations. You must use correct English in your graded work. You must also complete and return assignments to be graded by the deadline dates (see the Evaluations section on the course website). Participants are asked to pay special attention to spelling, clarity of expression, and citation of sources (see Plagiarism below) in their work. Reports are concise and should be carefully written proofread before submission. These elements will be considered in the evaluation. However, the professors realize that there may not be a native English speaker in every team and this will be taken into consideration. Université Laval Faculté des sciences de l administration Page 5 of 7

6 Assessment criteria Quizzes 10% Description and instructions There are 2 individual quizzes. You will have 1 chance to do the CM quiz on the Country Manager website (Class 6). A second hands-on quiz will be done in class. A failure on this quiz will require more personal work and another attempt (maximum grade 80% for the 2 nd attempt). Participation 10% This class requires regular participation, individual work, and intensive teamwork (evaluated by team crossevaluations and professors evaluations). Your full participation in this course is essential. Your ability to fully participate in class during the first 6 weeks is directly related to timely reading and understanding of assigned material, simulation practice, and presence in workshops. Your ability to participate equitably in the simulation is directly related to serious analysis and reflection relating to the decisions to be made in the simulation, to your personal efforts to work in harmony with your colleagues in a multicultural team, and to respect deadlines and tasks established by the team. If you do not keep up on your readings, individual work and/or team meetings, or if you cannot work well with your teammates and respect deadlines and tasks assigned, you will weaken your team and the team s performance will suffer. Points will also be given for participating in continual efforts to improve the course. Assessment criteria *Grading scale Range Grade Range Grade Range Grade 92,5 à 100 = A+ 78,5 à 82,4 = B 65,5 à 68,4 = C- 88,5 à 92,4 = A 75,5 à 78,4 = B- 62,5 à 65,4 = D+ 85,5 à 88,4 = A- 72,5 à 75,4 = C+ 59,5 à 62,4 = D 82,5 à 85,4 = B+ 68,5 à 72,4 = C 59,4 et moins = E (échec) *Results Your results will be available on the course website. *Plagiarism The FSA does not tolerate conduct that does not comply with its ethical standards. The Règlement disciplinaire à l intention des étudiants de l Université Laval lists some 20 academic infractions that are subject to penalty. Everyone knows the most common errors, but are you aware that copying a few sentences from a work on paper or a website without inserting quotation marks or citing the source are two of the infractions? Or that summarizing an author s original idea in your own words without citing the source, and translating a text in part or entirely without stating its origin, are also prohibited? To avoid exposing yourself to consequences ranging from failing a course to expulsion from the university, consult the following website: You ll find everything you need to avoid plagiarism. *Disciplinary regulations Any student who is found to have committed a violation of the Règlement disciplinaire à l intention des étudiants de l Université Laval [Université Laval student disciplinary regulations] in this course, especially involving plagiarism, will be subject to the penalties set out in the regulations. Students should familiarize themselves with sections 28 to 32 of the disciplinary regulations. These can be found (in French only) at the following web address: Deadlines and overdue work There are exceptional circumstances that may prevent a student/team from submitting an assignment on time. In such cases, it is the student s/team s responsibility to inform the teacher as soon as possible to discuss an extension or plan an alternative. Université Laval Faculté des sciences de l administration Page 6 of 7

7 If the request for a deferral is accepted for submission after the end of the term, the student will receive a grade of Z (mark deferred at student s request). This will be converted to a final grade (see the conversion key above) at the end of the deferral period. Laptop and Software Requirements Computer equipment and software This course requires you to have access to a recent model computer, ideally with a high-speed Internet connection. You will find an equipment specifications and software grid at: It is the student s responsibility to have a laptop compatible with the FSA s environment in order to participate in the exercises, the simulation analysis, the assignments, and course evaluation activities that take place in and out of class. Minimum software requirements for compatibility with the FSA s environment: Operating system: o Windows 7, Vista or XP Office Suite: o Microsoft Office 2007, 2003, XP or 2000: Word, Excel, PowerPoint Browser: o Internet Explorer 7.0 or later *Course evaluation A formative course evaluation will be made in week 3. This confidential evaluation will be used only by your professors to ascertain the appropriateness of the teaching method or whether adjustments are required before the end of the session. At the end of the course, the FSA will conduct a summative evaluation, by soliciting your comments and suggestions, to determine whether the teaching method achieved its goals and your degree of satisfaction. Near the end of the session, a link to the course evaluation questionnaire will be uploaded to the course website home page. This evaluation is very important, as it will allow us to improve the course. The course supervisors thank you in advance for your collaboration. Please note that this evaluation is confidential. Teaching Materials For the activities in this course, you will have to obtain the required teaching materials and consult the teaching resources on the course website. Required materials Example: Country Manager participant guide* Simulation license to participate* Calculator * These materials are NOT available at Zone. Instructions will be given in class. Online resources Course website The course website is on the Université Laval course platform [WebCT] at this address: [ If you have not visited the course platform, please consult the [WebCT student guide] at: [ If you are registered in the course but do not have access to the site, please check your registration in the Libreservice Web des etudes [student self-service window] at: Université Laval Faculté des sciences de l administration Page 7 of 7