Duration
30h Th
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The course Strategic Marketing Seminar can be considered as an intermediate marketing course, positioned between different marketing courses, and focusing on a strategic understanding of marketing as a discipline. This course builds on insights from the undergraduate marketing courses and will further advance your knowledge in marketing. At the end of the seminar, you shall be able to apply key frameworks and theories to analyze marketing-related issues in a strategic and analytical way to support the decision-making process of Chief Executives of any organization.
The content of the course will closely follow the comprehensive book of Palmatier & Shridhar (2017) "Marketing Strategy: Based on First Principles and Data Analytics". The book is based on four marketing principles, from which three will be covered in this scourse, namely:
- Marketing Principle #1: All Customers Differ: Understanding customer heterogeneity
- Marketing Principle #2: All Customers Change: Learning about customer dynamics
- Marketing Principle #3: All Competitors React: Understanding competitive advantag
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
The course focuses on designing strategies from the market back to create, deliver, and sustain customer value in competitive and dynamic markets. To do so, this course deals with a comprehensive investigation and analysis of all major components of marketing strategy and their integration.
- Strategy (KLO1): Establish a strategy in order to optimize the value chain of a company... ... based on the analysis of its financial and economic context. ... taking into account its political, social, and societal context. ... taking into account its legal constraints. ... adopting the position of a marketing specialist. ... demonstrating a critical mind and scientific precision.
- Implementation (KLO2): Take charge of the everyday management of a company, and more especially of a project related to strategic marketing... ... working efficiently in an international and multidisciplinary team, among others in a leading position. ... analyzing one's managerial practice with a critical and ethical mind.
- Communication (KLO4): Communicate efficiently about a company... ... in at least two languages, including English and French. ... taking into account the multicultural and international features of their environment.
- Adaptability (KLO5): Adapt one's managerial practice to the needs of a fast-evolving world... ... being conscious of its societal, economic, political, and environmental issues. ... showing curiosity and a scientific precision of academic level. ... showing creativity, autonomy, and entrepreneurial spirit. ... developing one's expertise in a lifelong learning perspective.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
The students are required to participate actively during the group sessions. Accordingly, they need a good proficiency level in spoken and written English. A basic marketing course in marketing and/or knowledge of the basic concepts of marketing is required
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Specifically, the course will focus on the following content of the book:
- Introduction to marketing strategy
- Part 1: All customers differ - Customer Heterogeneity
- Part 2: All customers change - Customer Dynamics
- Part 3: All competitors react - Competitive advantage
- Part 4: Building a competitive advantage through innovation
- Part 5: Marketing strategies and growth strategies
- Business game
The first of the nine 3-hour sessions will begin with an introduction, outlining the overall objective, agenda, and context of the entire course. It will then proceed with the contents of the upcoming session.
Most of the sessions will then be taught in alternating phases of collective learning and individual learning.
- In the collective learning phases, the foundational theoretical inputs will be delivered by the lecturer in traditional lecturer-centered, frontal teaching.
- For the individual learning phases, the students will be given short, precisely formulated tasks related to the input previously given in the collective learning phase.
The remaining 60% are for the individual written exam, composed of open questions and multiple choice questions.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Blended learning
Additional information:
Most of the courses will be taught in class. The last two sessions will be dedicated to the business game. Students can participate either in class or remotely. A Teams link will be provided to students wishing to participate remotely.
Recommended or required readings
The content of the course will closely follow the comprehensive book of Palmatier & Shridhar (2017) "Marketing Strategy: Based on First Principles and Data Analytics".
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )
Written work / report
Additional information:
First session of examination (January)
-
Individual evaluation (60%) - The Strategic Marketing Seminar examination in January is a written individual exam with Multiple choice questions and Open questions covering the different topics of the courses covered in class.
Exam questions will be multiple choice questions with only one correct answer out of four answer possibilities as well as open quesitons on the covered topics. - Group evaluation (business game report) (40%): At the end of each business game session, students have to hand in a report (as a group).
Second session of examination:
- Individual written exam in case you didn't pass the exam in January
- Group report in case you didn't pass the group evaluation (business game report)
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
(See the document available on Lola for all guidelines related to the organization of the seminar)
The course is organized within the context of the International Fortnight program of HEC Liège - Management School of the University of Liège that aims to welcome visiting faculty from highly reputed foreign academic institutions to teach in their area of expertise and collaborate with HEC Liège faculty, staff, and students in research and other academic activities.
The course consists of 30 class hours and will be held in 10 sessions of 3 hours starting September 29th and ending December 15th. The course is given in English.
Attendance is encouraged; it is important to participate in every session.
We excuse your absence to the class in case of an imperious reason (such as sickness, family emergency).
Contacts
Instructor:
Nadia STEILS,
Assistant Professor at HEC Liège (ULiège)
Department of Marketing
nadia.steils@uliege.be