16548 - Market Strategy Policy(Management 560 Professor Joseph R Priester priester usc.edu(213 821-5649(office office hours by appointment The goal of

Market Strategy & Policy (Management 560) Professor Joseph R. Priester [email protected] usc.edu (213) 821-5649 (office) office hours by appointment The goal of this course is to provide understanding and practice at developing and executing strategic market planning . To do so, students will typically discuss one or two cases per week, and compete against each other in a fast-paced, rigorous computer simulation (StratSim). Required Materials: Course-pack (includes cases) StratSim registration text: Market-Based Management, by Roger Best (please note: although there is a new, 4 th edition available, I am happy if you choose to purchase the 3 rd edition.) Note, though there will not be lectures on this text, you should use it as an excellent source of analytic tools by which to approach both the cases and the simulation. COURSE PEDAGOGY This course will make use of readings, case materials, student presentations, lectures, and a major competitive computer simulation. Class sessions will be highly interactive – expect to participate. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course offers students an opportunity to broaden their understanding of strategic marketing management. The course is appropriate for students seeking careers in marketing as well as students in finance, corporate strategy, human resources management, and those interested in entrepreneurship.

A key element of the course is a fast-paced, exciting simulation of the strategic product-market management process. The simulation, plus integrated material from cases and lectures, emphasizes the formation and implementation of competitive strategic marketing plans. The simulation allows students to develop their knowledge and skills to manage a marketing program in a highly competitive and dynamic market setting. Teams of students assume the role of decision makers in companies that comprise a fictitious but realistic industry. Feedback is provided on how each team's decisions have impacted their company's position relative to that of their competitors. Students can apply their knowledge of marketing management to make decisions on: · Defining market opportunities · Selecting target segments · Product positioning · Price and cost dynamics · Market evolution and forecasting · New product development · Market entry strategies · Use of marketing research · Competitive analysis · Resource allocation · Interface/integration with operations · Integration of financial analysis The strategic concepts and skills learned are equally relevant to consumer, industrial, and service industries. The course also gives the student experience in managing a small business and provides experience in entrepreneurship. COURSE CULTURE This course is designed to provide a “hands on” learning experience in marketing analysis, strategy, planning, management, and decision-making. As such, it also has associated with it a much different culture than other courses. This is not a lecture-oriented course with a fixed set of topics to be covered in a term.