MKTG 3310 – Principles of Marketing
 
Herbert Jack Rotfeld
Professor, Department of Marketing
246 Lowder Hall, northeast corner of buildingHarbert College of Business
Auburn University
246 Lowder Hall
rotfehj@auburn.edu
http://www.auburn.edu/~rotfehj
http://www.auburn.edu/~rotfehj/essays.html

→ Office hours June 25-July 27: Mondays through Thursdays 8-9:30, 11:30-noon, and any time the door is open, which is most weekdays from 7 a.m. till early afternoon [Of course, someone is bound to say they can't "find" the office]
→ Class times: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9:45 – 11:45 AM in Lowder 152
→ Prerequisite: Passing grade in ECON 2020 or ECON 2027; junior standing
→ Text Book: Marketing, 13th Edition, Armstrong & Kotler (I didn't choose it)

See the topics list, color coded by exam at the end of the syllabus
Test 1: July 5 covering topics 1-4
Test 2: July 13 covering topics 5-9
Test 3: July 24 covering topics 10-13
Comprehensive final exam (covering topics 1-14): August 2, 8-10:30 a.m.
when Hell freezes over
University policy requires that the final exam must be taken at the university-directed time and will not be available at an earlier time for students wanting to depart for jobs, job interviews, family vacations or to spend time with a strange man or woman with two hearts who stepped out of a 1960s-era blue British police box that materialized in front of your apartment and that you discover is smaller on the outside than it is inside. (If I have to explain this last one, never mind.)

GRADES will be based on point totals, not averages, percentile scores or letter grades on each item. The points scored on each item are added together and the grade is based on the point total. There might be extra credit values on homework, tests, or the final exam - hence the notation of "at least" by the possible points for each item - but the availability of extra credit items will not alter the cut-offs points required for each letter grade that will be determined by the sum of the raw scores from the tests and comprehensive final exam.
3 tests of at least 30 points each (90 points)
Comprehensive final exam of at least 50 points
total points = 140
A = 126 points
B = 112 points
C = 98 points
D = 84 points
F = less than 84 points
FA = either 83 or fewer points & absent from all or part of 25% or more of the non-test classes, or an unexcused absence from any test or the final exam. (Absent includes arriving late, leaving early, stepping out for extended periods & unauthorized use of electronics.)

COURSE OBJECTIVES are to provide an opportunity for students to gain an understanding of marketing theory, concepts and practices, as well as providing a foundation for 4000-level marketing courses. The course objective statement gives a reality check to anyone who thinks we’ll spend the semester being entertained by funny commercials, discovering the secrets of shopper manipulation, or learning a magic formula to become an outstanding seller of pharmaceuticals, life insurance or used cars. I'm not sure why faculty are told that every syllabus “must include clearly stated learning objectives,” but nonetheless, here you have it. Meanwhile, the faculty are hoping that no one discovers we are making it up as we go along.

TRIGGER WARNING:The same as in other marketing courses, students can't view marketing activities as a consumer who buys products, but instead, as marketing managers who must make decisions based on possible reactions of present or potential customers. What any individual student likes or dislikes is irrelevant. We will discuss possible decisions for products members of the class might not buy, in contexts for which they would never be in the target market, unavoidably resulting in discussions of Slinkyproducts, store situations or mass media messages that some members of the class might find personally offensive. This is unavoidable. It's the business reality. Marketing managers are rarely (if ever) the same types of people as their primary customers and must make decisions about the desires and interests of people unlike themselves.

ATTENDANCE & CLASS PARTICIPATION are not part of the grade point totals except for FA grades, for which absences could include arriving late, leaving early, unauthorized use of electronics or stepping out for part of the period. chronic lateness is disrespectful and narcissisticHowever, the classroom experience is considered an integral aspect of this course and your attendance is an important part of the learning experience. Classes will always start on time in the business sense of the term: at the time designated for the start of class, students are expected to be in their seats and ready to work. Every semester, students tend to perform poorly in the course if they have a semester of erratic attendance, a chronic propensity to come to class without reading the assigned chapters and/or an inability to take notes on anything other than what appears on a screen. As a more basic matter, it is disrespectful to your classmates when you repeatedly drift in late and a distract those present. In business, you get fired. On a sports team, you literally "miss the bus." 

It is presumed that no one will miss a class for a minor or trivial reason; anyone who is absent, arrives late or leaves early is still responsible to obtain from classmate information on lecture or discussion during that time, general announcements and handouts. Specific day-to-day assignments might be made or amended at any class meeting. [For additional insight, see the general directions on "how to fail"]  

Materials provided by the textbook publisher will not be used as the basis for lectures. No slide will be read to the class. Lists can illustrate a point and can help explain the information, meaning that tests won't ask for pedantic recall of list items, it will be necessary to understand what the list means and how the terms are applied in making decisions. The substance of lectures builds upon the textbook materials, and understanding from the assigned readings is critical to fully understand the class. Optimally, you should study each chapter before class. Coming to class unprepared makes it difficult to understand lectures and an ongoing semester-long practice of textbook reading that should make preparation for tests and final exams easier.

THE TESTS & FINAL EXAM will consist of multiple-choice questions that cover both in-class materials and the required reading assignments.  BEWAREAll assigned readings from the textbook, additional handouts, regular lectures, guest speaker presentations and video programs -- everything covered from the first minute of the first class -- could be the basis for questions. And, since they are all inter-related, it is impossible to say what to "emphasize" when you study, or whether you should "focus" more on the lectures or textbook. Do not ask what is "more important" in preparing for exams. It is all important. Each of the tests cover only the material from the period since the prior test. The comprehensive final exam covers all materials from the entire semester, because that is what comprehensive means, and no single section or week of material will be covered any more heavily than any other. The weight of the final exam reflects the importance of assessing what you take from the class at the end of the semester.
[Note: If anyone still feels compelled to ask what to emphasize or study, they, in turn, will be asked what parts of this simple paragraph were not clear, assuming this paragraph was read]

Test scores will always be returned on the marked scantrons before the start of the next class meeting, after which students may come to my office to read (not write notes on) the answer key for the most recent test, but no key will be kept on hand longer than five business days after scores are returned. On test days, bring only a Scantron #882-E (the smaller sized forms) and a pencil. No scratch paper will be needed since you will be allowed to write on the question book.  No one will be allowed to use calculators since any arithmetic required will not be that difficult. If you feel that there is a difference between lecture materials and the textbook content, the lecture materials should be used as the basis for answering exam questions.

ABSENCES FROM TESTS CAN BE EXCUSED ONLY IF: (a) prior notice was provided for expected or planned events, or (b) any unexpected problems or emergencies sent me direct notification as soon as possible by phone or email - not later in the day - with documentation provided as soon as you are capable of returning to campus. Delayed notifications will not be accepted. A documented acceptable excuse for any tests allows for either a make-up test early the next morning or to have the point value of that test shifted to the final exam. The only conditions under AU policy [in Student Policy eHandbook] are considered excused absences from exams.

cat is impatientOTHER CLASS POLICIES and some AU-required narishkeit
→ I would be happy to discuss the course, your progress, the most recent test answers or any other issues that concern you on an individual basis during office hours or by appointment. However, personal grade information will not be discussed on the phone and some explanations can be too involved to convey in electronic messages
→ Email inquiries asking for repetition of information answered in this document will not receive a response
→ Assignment updates, additional explanations on lecture Topics or answers to student questions will sometimes be sent to all registered class members via their Auburn University email addresses. This means that you are expected to make a daily check of your university email for class related messages & information
→ All electronic devices are to be turned off and put away during the class period unless a reasonable exception is requested in writing & approved. Various options are under consideration to deter or penalize violators (link illustrates one possible option)
→ If you find it difficult to take notes and be an active participant in class at the same time, request permission in writing to audio record class for notes to be transcribed later. The lectures exist under university and personal copyright, which means that any recordings made of the class are for individual use as a study aid and are not to be sold, publicly posted, used for drinking games at parties or otherwise distributed on any forum without written permission from the instructor
→ Anyone with difficulty completing tests during the time limits of the class period can request an early start time, a consideration that is not tied to any requirements from the Office of Accessibility
→ Students are expected to do their own work in the classroom on quizzes and tests as per the Auburn University student academic honesty code in the Student Policy eHandbook (Title XII) Academic honesty violations or alleged violations of the SGA Code of Laws will be reported to the Office of the Provost, which will then refer the case to the Academic Honesty Committee
→ If you have a disability needing assistance other than items listed above, you must meet with me in my office to discuss possible accommodations after you electronically submit the approved accommodations through AU Access. Course requirements will not be waived, but accommodations will be made to assist in meeting the requirements, provided you are timely to develop a reasonable accommodation plan. Note that the most commonly requested accommodations are in this syllabus as available to anyone in the class without regardless of concerns of the Office of Accessibility, 1228 Haley Center.

The pictures throughout this syllabus are relevant to the nearby content, and many have links provided for your interest or amusement. Any words used in the syllabus or required readings that you don't understand, . . . what? You lost your phone?



Topics


Topic 1

Campus Dining & Marketing problems

Topic 2

Company & Marketing Strategies

Chapter 1 & 2

Topic 3

The Marketing Environment

Chapter 3

Topic 4

Marketing information & Consumer Behavior

Chapters 4 & 5

Topic 5

Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategies

Chapter 6

Topic 6

Products & Services & Brands

Chapter 7

Topic 7

Managing Products, developing new ones & pricing

Chapter 8 & 9

Topic 8

Marketing Channels

Chapter 10

Topic 9

Retailing & Wholesaling

Chapter 11

Topic 10

Advertising & Publicity

Chapter 12

Topic 11

Sales Promotions

Chapter 13

Topic 12

Direct Marketing

Chapter 14

Topic 13

Global Marketplace

Chapter 15

Topic 14

Sustainability & why it matters 

Chapter 16


Review



FINAL EXAM

On Everything!!


246 Lowder Hall, northeast corner of building
Herbert Jack Rotfeld
Professor, Department of Marketing
Harbert College of Business
Auburn University
246 Lowder Hall
rotfehj@auburn.edu
 http://www.auburn.edu/~rotfehj
 http://www.auburn.edu/~rotfehj/essays.html