Global Marketing Strategy
Syllabus Spring 2003

Global Marketing Strategy   53:630:515 - 3 credits –Spring 2003
 Dr. Carol Kaufman-Scarborough - Tuesday 6:00 to 8:40 pm, BSB 107
 Office BSB 219 and Hours:  Tuesday and Thursday 3:00 - 4:30 and by appointment.

1.  Prerequisites: Marketing Management 630:508  (No Exceptions!)

2.  Course Description/Objectives:  The objective of the course is to develop your knowledge and understanding of the global marketing environment and of concepts, and tools, and theory. The perspective of the course is managerial; i.e. the ability to identify opportunity, resolve problems, and implement solutions and programs. Each night's class meeting will introduce you to several concepts used in Global Marketing, relating these to managerial decisions throughout the world.  We will build skills involving cultural awareness, the assessment of political risk, reliable sources of global information, the intricacies of tariff and non-tariff barriers, and the development of global brands. We’ll focus on a small group of useful concepts and frameworks that are used in global market analysis.

It is recognized that many of you are busy professionals with career and possibly family obligations.  If you must miss part of a class, it is preferable that you attend a partial session if possible.   Please inform me of any expected absences.  Many of your companies are likely to be involved in some area of Global Marketing, or you may be interested in pursuing a career in international trade at some point in your career.  Please feel free to raise company issues and individual interests in class.
 

3.  Text: Global Marketing Management, Second Edition, Masaaki Kotabe and Kristiaan Helsen (2001), New York: Wiley.   This text has been chosen for its comprehensive information, presented in a readable, accurate fashion. Selected case studies are available on the text web site, found at:
http://www.wiley.com/college/mar/kotabe372897/wave_s.html

4.  Communications

A. My office at school is Business and Science 219.  I am generally in on class days.  Please leave a message or call my home office if you need to reach me in an emergency.  If you need an appointment and cannot make these office hours, please see me to schedule another time. Email is the fastest way to reach me. You will be sent class notes, questions, and schedules via email periodically throughout the semester.  I will also post class information on the course web site.
E-mail:  ckaufman@camden.rutgers.edu

B. Home Office Phone/Fax:      856.429.1045   (ans. machine, late calls ok)
     Cell phone with voice mail:  856-577-8767
     Rutgers Office Phone:         856.225.6592   Rutgers Fax:  225-6231
 

5.  Teaching Methodology
The course will build on your expertise in business using readings, films, and discussions on global marketing topics.  The text contains several cases involving well-known corporations and their global strategies. We can learn quite a bit through the analysis of their strategies. You are encouraged to bring in examples that you have found, observed, or experienced in your own careers or personal lives.  Each night we’ll have case discussions, class exercises, and videos. We’ll consider the adaptation of traditional marketing research techniques to international settings, the detection of subtle differences in cultural behaviors, the diagnosis of appropriate business behaviors in other cultures, the use of the nuts and bolts of export documentation, and the technical understanding of trade barriers.
 

6.  Cool Stuff:  Here are some global web updates and sources that you should investigate and sign up for email updates.
http://www.adageglobal.com/
http://www.economist.com/markets/bigmac/
http://www.globalbrands.org/resources/data.htm
http://www.globalbrands.org/resources/online/media.htm

Class participation is encouraged and sought.  You are most likely participating in businesses that have some strategic connections to the global markets.  Some of you are resident experts on some specific global area.  Perhaps you have some background experience, whether culturally, legally, managerially, etc.  This is your class and you should make it as interesting as possible.  In terms of grading, it is assumed that everyone starts out in the middle. Negative participation (disruption, sleeping, reading, etc) detracts from everyone's time; points will be deducted, rather than added for these types of behaviors.  Thus the range of class participation grades is from ?10 through +10.  This can substantially affect your grade.

Academic Dishonesty Policy:  Cheating in any form will result in a grade of "F" being submitted in this course.  Cheating is just that:  it cheats YOU of learning and understanding the material covered in class.

Testing:  You are expected to be in class at the scheduled exam times.  The instructor MUST be notified IN ADVANCE if you are unable to take an exam on time.  Make?up tests are given only in the case of an extreme emergency or serious illness.  Substantiation will be required.

Incompletes and Problems:  If you find that you are having trouble completing course work or need further explanation of class topics, please schedule an appointment with the instructor.  If you need this class for graduation, you should be sure that your performance is up to standard throughout the course.  It is TOO LATE to wait until the last week of classes to ask for help.  Office hours are held throughout the ENTIRE semester for this purpose. "Incompletes" will only be given through prior consultation with the instructor, under extreme circumstances.

Class attendance is expected; scheduling make ups and/or copying class notes ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.  Films and in?class handouts are part of the course material, and are considered eligible for inclusion on class exams.  On occasion, class attendance will be taken during the course of the class -  such information may be used in the grading process.

Suppose you are in charge of taking ABC Corporation’s business overseas. You know that there are several important factors to look into for entering any new country. You have learned how to use the Trade Information Center web site to identify tariff and nontariff barriers. You offer to make a comparative chart of Chile and Columbia  so that the management team can determine which market to choose. Please fill out the chart below with the ten factors that you judge to be critical in making the decision. I have started you out with a few key points.

NOTE 2: Create a chart that summarizes the information that you have found. Please discuss in 2-3 pages and make a recommendation of which country you feel is more accessible to a firm like ABC.

NOTE 3:  ABC Corporation is a fictitious company with no type of business specified in order to emphasize general contrasts between Chile and Colombia’s policies.  If a specific business were chosen, obvious country advantages would emerge given the specific needs of the population.

Web site address: http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/tic/
 
 
 

Sample Information	Chile	Columbia
Free Trade zones, areas for assembly
Documentation
Markings and labeling
Tariffs
Free trade agreements
Prohibited imports, regulated products
Business holidays

  In order to stimulate discussion and gain experience with global concepts, six in-class cases will be discussed on assigned nights. Each class participant will select an evening that they, and at least one other student, will lead the case discussion. I will make a list available so that you can each sign up for a night as best fits your schedule. NOTE:  This is not a traditional case presentation. Instead, it is a teaching case, in which you are required to use appropriate course tools and Web sites in leading  the class in analyzing the case.  You lead the discussion; you teach the case. I will provide suggested questions and approaches once the assignments are made.

1.  As Discussion Leaders, you are responsible for the following:

a. Reading the case thoroughly, and preparing a 5-minute summary of the case, to be presented to the class with overheads.  Be clear and direct; do not just repeat the case.

b.  Leading the discussion, developing a set of discussion questions that involves the class. That is, your grade depends on how well you stimulate the class to work through the solution.  Be creative!  Use questions, matrices, Websites, role-plays, etc.  in covering the following areas.  Remember, there are certain key points that each case is designed to teach and to illustrate.  You need to figure out what each case is attempting to teach and which skills are to be learned.
 

1.) Central Problem:  Define clearly and concisely the basic problem in the situation.
2.) Analysis of Situation:  What tools and concepts from this course can help us in analyzing the
      case?
3.)  Secondary Data: Identify, justify, and use five sources of information which you feel are the most
       useful and appropriate. Show the class how you did it.  Involve them in learning how these work!
       Be sure that the class knows how to find them.
4.)  Identify Alternative Strategies: Based on the analysis in 2, identify possible alternative strategies
       to cope with the problem defined in 1. Involve the class in evaluating the pros and cons .
5.)  Course of Action: Get the class involved in a discussion of recommended courses of action.

c.  You are responsible for bringing the class to closure on the case.  I will take the perspective of the Board, who will evaluate your analysis.

2.  Prepare your own individual 1-2?page (approximately)  word-processed overview of the day's case, covering the points listed above. Tell me how you planned to create class discussion and what the key global concepts were that you wanted to teach.  Did you accomplish your goals?  This should be handed in the week following your role as discussion leaders, so that you can incorporate the comments of the class and the overall discussion success/failure.
 

Note 1:  While you will work with another student in leading the discussion on your case, the report which you prepare will be your individual writeup, using the discussion topics you have developed.

Note 2: You have 45 minutes to complete the Discussion. If you go overtime, the class will have to stay late. It is your responsibility to keep discussion on track.
 

Relevance and Skill-Building:  A difficult and much-needed skill in Global Marketing is the ability to discover and to think about consumers' and organizations' needs in different cultures, to interpret those needs into products, and to market those products in ways which are meaningful to their target markets.  This investigation asks you to put yourself in the place of the foreign consumer, encountering your product for the first time.

Go to a shopping area that specializes in the native tastes of some ethnic group. There are shops throughout South Jersey which also specialize in certain ethnic products, such as Indian, Polish, etc. Please see me if you need suggestions and/or directions provided by other students.

1. Find/buy a product which you cannot identify; write down your first impressions of what you think the product is made of and what it is used for. (Bring it to class for discussion.).

2. What cues are there on the product?  If it is packaged, what information can you find?  If it is not packaged, did the store signs give you any information?  What information would you want as a consumer?

3. Describe what section of the store your product is placed in, i.e.: describe what products were near it.  (If you can not recognize these products, describe what they look like).

4. Attempt to interview store management or one of the retail clerks to find out what the product really is (you may not always be successful in this attempt!) If you fail to find out, please select another product whose identity can be explained to you.

5. After finding out what the product is, consider whether or not the product would be marketable in the United States.  Place yourself in the role of the product manager who is searching for products to import to the United States. Be prepared to describe why or why not you would want to proceed with this product:
a. Give the pros and cons
b. Tell if the product would be standardized, adapted, or completely changed
c.  Discuss the types of data that you would want in order to make your presentation
     to management.  Remember, your decision is simply a preliminary call whether to
      proceed with a market investigation!!

6. Be sure to include all this information in your report. Be prepared to speak about 5-10 minutes on what you found.

7. Please provide a photo of the product and its labeling in an Appendix.

8. Complete the short welcoming assessment. This form will be given out in class.

The class as a whole will analyze one comprehensive case that challenges you to use all the skills that we have been developing all semester, while this time working as part of a team.  Each group will have approximately 30 minutes to present their analysis, leaving time for questions from the rest of the class, which will act as the Board of Directors. The format is similar to the weekly cases that we have been discussing throughout the semester. I will provide some key questions to follow in your analysis. Your presentation must include:

1.) Central Problem:  Define clearly and concisely the basic problem in the situation. Identify main issues eg., increased competition, changes in underlying consumer tastes, and do not be confused with "symptoms" -- e.g., declining unit share, lower profitability.

2.) Analysis of Situation:  Use the information and facts provided in the case to analyze the situation ? ? the market, demand (buyer) competition, company strengths and weaknesses. Use the tools and concepts from our course in the analysis.

3.) Identify Alternative Strategies: Based on the analysis in 2, identify possible alternative strategies to cope with the problem defined in 1. Evaluate the pros and cons of each alternative.

4.) Course of Action:  Recommend a course of action comprising recommendations concerning marketing goals, strategies, organizational changes, budgets, further research if needed, etc. which you would consider most appropriate to solve the problem identified in 1, taking into consideration the analysis made in step #2. Include some specifics regarding how the recommendations may be implemented.

Responsibilities:  Prepare a 5-10 page (approximately)  word-processed overview of the case, covering the points listed above. This is due the night of your presentation.  You are expected to use professional-style visuals, such as Powerpoint.   Please see me if you need assistance with preparation of visuals.  You must also prepare a one-page outline of your presentation to be distributed to the class. Use executive summary style.

Working with groups is not always easy.  There are some suggestions that can help you with this.  The group work experience is considered to be an important part of this course, as no matter where you end up, working with other people is likely to be an important par to your job. Get names, phone numbers, working schedules, etc. to facilitate your meeting times.  Additionally, each group member is EQUALLY responsible for the case outcome.  Under extreme circumstances, groups are allowed to "fire" group members who do not meet their responsibilities; this can only be done in consultation with the instructor.

Each team member must also complete and hand in a "Peer Rating" Form, in a sealed envelope.  These are for my information, and will be kept confidential.  They will be used in judging group effectiveness and individual member contribution.

Global Marketing Strategy   Spring 2003
Dr. Kaufman-Scarborough   Bus. and Sci. 219

 Peer Rating

Each team member is required to submit a peer rating form. This form is to contain an evaluation of each of his/her team members. The form will be kept in strict confidence. In the space provided below please fill in the names of your team members and record your peer rating for each. Submit the form to me on or before the date your case is due.

The peer rating is based on a total awardable point base of 100 points for all team members other than yourself. You should award the 100 points among your team members based on a consideration of the following:

1.  Willingness of the individual to carry out jobs assigned.

2.  Ability of the individual to meet deadlines.

3.  Cooperation with other team members.

4.  Quality of the individual's work.

5. Individual's overall contribution to case reports and discussion and completion of the group project.

             Team Members                                Points Awarded
_________________________________________________
    1.

    2.

    3.

    4.

    5.

_________________________________________________
                    Total                                             100
Additional Comments:
(Use reverse side if necessary)

_______________________________________
Signature of the team member doing evaluation.

Name _______________________________________
Global Marketing Strategy Spring 2003

In order to assign Discussion Leaders and Final Case Groups, I need some input from you!
Please look over your schedules and the cases, and hand this in on Jan. 28th.

1. Roundtables/Discussion Leaders: Please indicate your top three preferences for your case, where 1 is best, 2 is second best, and 3 is third best.

_____      February 11th:  Pepsi One (on web site)
_____      February 18th:  Starbucks (in text)
_____      March 4th:        Sanex (in text)
_____      March 25th:      Gap Inc. (on web site)
_____      April 1st:           Wal Mart Operations in Brazil (on web site)
_____      April 15th:          AOL Goes Far East (in text)
 

2. Final Case Groups:  You will be assigned to work with a group for your case presentation. Each group may have a maximum of 3-4 persons.  Suggested group members:
 
 
 
 

3.  Best way to reach you:
    Tel:      _________________________________
     Email: _________________________________
     Email:  _________________________________
     Fax:     _________________________________

4.  Other Marketing Courses taken in the past?
 

5.  Other Marketing Courses being taken this semester?
 

6.  Country of origin?  Global experience?
 

7.  What are your goals for this course?  Is there any skill in particular that you would like to acquire?
 

8.  What would you like to learn in this class? Any specific topics of interest?
 

9. Employment?__________________________________________________

10. Is your company involved in global  business?    _________________________
 

11.  Any expected absences?? ________________________________________________