In the current curriculum of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the UPV/EHU (University of the Basque Country), the subject "Marketing Management: Introduction" is a core and compulsory subject. It is taught in the first semester for all second-year students in the following degree programs:

- Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and Administration

- Bachelor's Degree in Marketing

- Bachelor's Degree in Taxation and Public Administration

It is also a core and compulsory subject for third-year students in the double Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and Administration + Degree in Law.

And for fourth-year students in the double Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and Administration + Degree in Economics.

This subject belongs to the Department of Financial Economics II of the UPV/EHU (University of the Basque Country), and it is included in Module M02 - Business Foundations, which aims to delve into subjects specifically related to the business field. The main objective of the subject is to provide students with a comprehensive overview and basic training within the functional area of business marketing. Furthermore, it aims to foster decision-making based on critical thinking among students, so that they can contribute not only to the achievement of business objectives but also to the achievement of the big challenges currently faced by society, including globalization, digitalization, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The subject provides students with the necessary skills to carry out their professional practice with ethical performance and commitment in the area of marketing within a company or in the business-consulting sector. All of this is done through a methodology adapted to the framework established by the European Higher Education Area, and based on the development of a teaching-learning process that is applicable to their future professional life.



The subject begins with the conceptualization of marketing as a management philosophy and as a business function, and it develops the strategic dimension of marketing management in a company. Thus, it presents the commercial tools available to organizations to design an offering aimed to create value for customers and to capture value from customers in return. In other words, it is about managing profitable customer relationships.

There are no registration restrictions with other subjects in the curriculum, nor are there any prerequisites to take this subject. However, it provides the necessary knowledge to successfully pass subjects taught both in Module 3 - Advancement in Business Administration and Management, and in Module 4 - Elective Paths in Business Administration and Management- within the specialization of Sales Management, as well as those in the Marketing Degree program.

A. Competencies:

1. Specific Competencies of the Subject

-SC1: To understand the foundations of marketing and its relationship with the strategy of organizations.

-SC2: To identify, understand and analyze the factors that determine the marketing environment and consumer behavior.

-SC3: To understand and analyze market segmentation, target market determination and market positioning, as well as listing and examining the main factors used to segment consumer and industrial markets.

-SC4: To use basic segmentation and positioning methods and tools.



These specific competencies are linked to the following specific competencies of Module 2 - Business Foundations:

- Specific M02CM03: To lead and manage a company or organization, understanding its competitive and institutional position and identifying its strengths and weaknesses.

- Specific M02CM05: To elaborate, issue and present clearly and consistently any report on internal aspects and situations of the company and on specific situations of other companies and markets that may facilitate proper decision making, directed to both specialized and non-specialized audience.



2. Transversal Skills

This subject aims to help students of the different Degrees in which it is taught to develop the following transversal competencies linked to Module 2 - Business Foundations:

- TC1: Capacity for analytical and critical thinking (M02CM08).

- TC2: Application of the acquired knowledge to their work and decision making in any field related to business administration and management. (M02CM01).

- TC3: Team-working skills, including responsibility and respect, initiative and leadership (M02CM07).

- TC4: Developing the necessary learning skills to acquire a high degree of autonomy, to undertake potential further studies and for their own “self-training” in an environment of continuous changes and innovations. (M02CM02).

- TC5: Fluent oral and written communication skills (M02CM06).



B.Learning Outcomes:

Considering the aforementioned competencies, both specific and transversal, the learning outcomes expected from students are listed below:

- LO1: They can discern basic concepts of marketing.

- LO2: They recognize the importance of marketing as a functional area of the company and its relationship with the rest of the functional areas of the organization.

- LO3: They analyze the marketing environment and identify those aspects that influence business organizations.

- LO4: They identify factors that influence consumer and industrial buyer behaviors.

- LO5: They know how to choose and use basic market segmentation and positioning techniques.

- LO6: They apply the acquired knowledge to the resolution of practical cases and they are able to communicate to colleagues in a critical, connected and clear way the main results and conclusions.



Education for Sustainable Development - Sustainable Development Goals: the key transversal competencies for sustainability are also introduced, focusing on the achievement of cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral learning objectives. Competencies, aims and specific results are described in the corresponding student guides. The evaluation of the results is integrated in the continuous evaluation framework.

PART I: DEFINING MARKETING AND THE MARKETING PROCESS

CHAPTER 1. MARKETING: MANAGING PROFITABLE CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

1.1. What is Marketing?

1.2. Marketing as a Philosophy

1.3. Marketing as a Function: Marketing Management in the Company

1.4. The Changing Marketing Landscape



CHAPTER 2. THE COMPANY AND THE MARKETING STRATEGY

2.1. Company-Wide Strategic Planning: Defining Marketing’s Role

2.2. Planning Marketing: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships

2.3. Marketing Strategy and the Marketing Mix

2.4. Managing the Marketing Effort

2.5. Evaluation and Control of the Marketing Activities



PART II: UNDERSTANDING THE MARKETPLACE AND CUSTOMER NEEDS

CHAPTER 3. ANALYZING THE MARKETING ENVIRONMENT

3.1. A company’s Microenvironment

3.2. A company’s Macroenvironment

3.3. Responding to the Marketing environment



CHAPTER 4. A COMPANY’S MARKETING INFORMATION NEEDS

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Marketing information system (MIS)

4.3. Assessing Marketing Information Needs

4.4. Developing Marketing Information

4.5. Analysing and Using Marketing Information

4.6. Sales forecast



CHAPTER 5. CONSUMER AND BUSINESS MARKETS. BUYER BEHAVIOR

5.1. Consumer Markets and Buyer Behaviour

5.2. Business Markets and Business Buyer Behaviour



PART III: MARKET TARGETING: TARGET CUSTOMERS AND POSITIONING

CHAPTER 6. MARKET SEGMENTATION, TARGETING AND POSITIONING: BUILDING APPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE RIGHT CUSTOMERS

6.1. Market Segmentation

6.2. Major Variables to Market Segmentation

6.3. Market Targeting

6.4. Differentiation and Positioning to Get a Competitive Advantage

6.5. Segmentation Techniques

In order to achieve the proposed competencies, the following methodologies and pedagogical tools will be used together:



-On-site (face to face) Activities:

1. Participative master lectures. The basic concepts of each of the proposed topics of the course will be defined, explained and discussed. This methodology can be combined in some points with the pedagogical model known as flipped classroom –a system through which students, using the material provided by the teacher, prepare the topics before being addressed in class, explaining the contents themselves, thus instructing the rest of the students.

2. Case study method. In order to apply and put into practice the concepts to different business realities, different cases or concrete scenarios will be presented during the course. The use of the case study method is proposed as a tool through which a real problem is presented in class for students. Guided by the teacher, students will examine the situation and cultivate/develop the demanded knowledge, skills, competencies, attitudes and values through the discussion generated in class, meeting the specific objectives of the seminar and the general objectives of the course. All cases set out a series of basic questions that allow students to focus their analysis.

3. Problem-based learning. In order to encourage active student learning, autonomy and involvement, students work in groups to solve an open-ended problem –the teacher will pose a problem and students must find a solution or answer.



- Non-classroom activities:

1. Activities related to the flipped classroom/learning method. Students must prepare in non-teaching hours the topics to be developed through this methodology before they are addressed in class from materials provided by the teacher.

2. Self-evaluation tests. Voluntary and individual task that students can carry out online in non-teaching hours using eGela (virtual classroom). It consists of a series of self-evaluation tests related to (covering) each of the topics of the course that will be available for the students, allowing them to assess the achievement of the objectives set in each of the subject-matters.

3. Reading of articles recommended by the teacher.

4. Viewing of audiovisual material referenced in each topic.

5. Resolution of tasks based on practical cases.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Multiple-Choice Test (%): 60
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 10
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 30

The evaluation method pre-established in the first call is the mixed or continuous evaluation and it is defined in such a way that it allows evaluating the degree in which the students have reached the competences previously established. The evaluation will be defined in the following terms:



On-going assessment (40%)

- 30% will be obtained carrying out team work (tasks in groups), in which competences such as oral fluency will be worked on. The students will acquire the required knowledge to elaborate these practices by attending lectures and seminars.

- 10% will be obtained through a practical test, in which the students will be evaluated on their knowledge about segmentation techniques described in Chapter 6, including the ability to perform the necessary calculations with dexterity. Students will obtain the required knowledge to complete the practical test by attending lectures and seminars.



Final test (60%)

The rest of the grade can be obtained in a final test that represents 60% of the mark. This test will include questions about the concepts addressed in all the topics of the course (whole set of subjects).

Failure to take the final test will result in the waiver of the evaluation and the grade will be “No Show/No grade reported”.

In order to pass the course, a grade of 5 (out of 10) must be obtained, being necessary that at least 2.4 points (out of 6) have been obtained in the final exam.



Exceptionally, for (1) students in special circumstances recognized in the Centre as situations that entitle them to exemption from continuous assessment or (2) students that appeal for not being evaluated in the continuous evaluation form within the first nine weeks of the term through an application form (waiver) available for this purpose in the virtual classrooms, the evaluation will be done with a final test comprising 100% of the grade. This final exam will address (cover) the subject in its entirety, and will inquire about as many competencies as possible that are required in the subject and that can be evaluated in an individual test.



This test consists of two parts:

1. A multiple-choice test that accounts for 60% of the grade and,

2. A complementary test that measures the competences acquired through exercises, problems and cases, including a market segmentation exercise (40% of the grade).



In this case, a grade of 5 (out of 10) will be required to pass, being necessary to obtain a minimum of 2.4 points (out of 6) in the multiple-choice test.

The second call consists of a final exam designed to evaluate all the competences concerning the subject, in which all the students can obtain 100% of the score. This test consists of two parts:



1. A first conceptual part, which measures the level of understanding of the theoretical concepts and their interrelationships (60% of the grade), and

2. A second practical part, which measures the skills acquired through exercises, problems and cases, and that will include an exercise related to market segmentation (40% of the grade).

In order to pass, a grade of 5 (out of 10) must be obtained in total, and a minimum of 2.4 points (out of 6) in the first part.



Students enrolled in the continuous evaluation (in the ordinary/regular call) will have the opportunity to choose between the following options:

-To take the first (conceptual) part of the exam (60%) and keeping the grade obtained in the continuous evaluation (40%).

-Taking the entire exam (first -60% and second -40% part of the exam) with the whole content of the course. In this case, the student will obtain 100% of the grade only by doing the two parts of the final exam. Nevertheless, students who choose this option and do not want to maintain the mark obtained from the continuous evaluation (activities and exercises) must inform the teacher.



The extraordinary exam of the subject (in its two parts) will be held on the date and time established in the exam calendar of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the UPV/EHU.

Teachers will provide students with complementary material to follow the course (transparencies, cases, exercises, practices, etc.).

Basic bibliography

Handbook of reference for the English group:

Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. (2018). Principles of Marketing (17th Ed.). Pearson.

In-depth bibliography

- Casado, A.B. & Sellers, R. (2010). Introducción al marketing. Teoría y práctica. ECU.
- Esteban, A., García de Madariaga, J., Narros, M. J., Olarte, C., Reinares, E. & Saco, M. (2008). - - Principios de marketing (3rd Ed.). ESIC.
- García, M.D. (2008). Manual de Marketing. ESIC Editorial, Madrid.
- Kotler, P. & Keller, K.L. (2012). Marketing Management (14th Ed). Pearson.
- Munuera-Alemán, J.L. & Rodríguez- Escudero, A.I. (2006). Estrategias de Marketing. De la teoría a la práctica. ESIC Editorial.
- Santesmases, M. (2012). Marketing: Conceptos y estrategias (6th Ed.). Pirámide.

Journals

• News and definitions in the area of marketing collected by the American Marketing Association (AMA): https://www.ama.org
• AEDEMO is the Spanish Market Research Association, made up of professionals in the field of marketing and market research: http://www.aedemo.es/
• AEMARK is the Spanish Marketing Association that brings together marketing researchers and professionals in Spain: https://www.aemark.org/index.php/es-es/
• Website of the United Nations dedicated to Sustainable Development Goals: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/
• Journals in the area of marketing that contain cutting-edge articles in the area, covering a wide range of topics. These journals may contain relevant readings and information. The University of the Basque Country is subscribed to some of them and students can have access through the VPN connection. Some of the most important journals are the following:
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
Journal of Marketing
Journal of Service Research
Journal of Interactive Marketing
Journal of Business Research
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
Journal of Retailing
International Journal of Consumer Studies
International Journal of Research in Marketing
Psychology & Marketing
Journal of Marketing Research
Journal of International Marketing
Journal of Advertising

Web addresses

- PuroMarketing: www.puromarketing.com
- Cuaderno de Marketing: https://cuadernodemarketing.com/
- Anuncios: http://anuncios.com
- PrNoticias: https://prnoticias.com/
- Foro Marketing: www.foromarketing.com