Instructor:  Kay L. McLennan, Ph.D., Professor of Practice, Business Studies
e-Mail & Voice Mail:  kmclenna@tulane.edu & 504.862.8000 x1360
Office Hours:  Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (by appointment at the SCS Elmwood Campus)
Course:   The online version of the Introduction to Finance course is a highly participative asynchronous Internet-based course.  The course site – with all of the course materials and discussion forums -- is accessed by logging into the myTulane Blackboard platform (at http://mytulane.blackboard.com)

The required textbook and other course materials include:

• Lamb/Hair/McDaniel (2011).  MKTG (5th Edition).  Mason, Ohio:  South- Western.  [ISBN-13: 978-1-111-52809-6] 

Note:  You can order or buy a copy of the above required textbook from the Tulane Bookstore at http://tulane.bncollege.com, the publisher at http://www.ichapters.com, or an online book seller of your choice.  Also, the publisher sells a downloadable copy of the book at http://www.ichapters.com.

• Course site lectures and articles (see “Assignments & Lectures” icon for reading assignments and
  “In the News” to find the articles).

Module One:  Introduction to the World of Marketing and Buyers

• An Overview of Marketing
• Strategic Planning for Competitive Advantage
• Ethics and Social Responsibility
• The Marketing Environment
• Developing a Global Vision

Textbook Reading Assignment:

Lamb, et al – Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

Module Two:  Analyzing Marketing and Products

• Consumer Decision Making
• Business Marketing
• Segmenting and Targeting Markets
• Decision Support Systems and Marketing Research
• Product Concepts
• Developing and Managing Products
• Services and Nonprofit Organizations Marketing

Textbook Reading Assignment:

Lamb, et al – Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12

Module Three:  Service Marketing and Distribution and Promotion Decisions

• Marketing Channels
• Supply Chain Management
• Retailing
• Integrated Marketing Communication
• Advertising and Public Relations
• Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

Textbook Reading Assignment:

Lamb, et al – Chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18

Module Four:  Pricing Decisions and Technology-Driven Marketing

• Pricing Concepts
• Setting the Right Price
• Customer Relationship Management
• Social Media and Marketing

Textbook Reading Assignment:

Lamb, et al – Chapters 19, 20, 21, and 22

After completing the requirements of this course, students should be able to:

• Understand the role of marketing in the individual firm, U.S. economy, and global economy;
• Describe the importance of a consumer orientation in companies;
• Demonstrate knowledge of marketing research and pricing techniques;
• Understand how to identify market segments and targets;
• Describe the role and operation of marketing channels;
• Understand how to manage market channels;
• Understand the role and techniques of advertising;
• Analyze examples from marketing practice and apply the concepts and tools presented to real-life problems;
• Demonstrate how to implement interactive and multi-channel marketing; and
• Understand how to develop a marketing plan.

Learning is best accomplished when students are provided with experiential opportunities.  Accordingly, class members are expected to log into the class site at least three times a week (please note that the Blackboard software keeps track of when you enter the class site) as well as post assigned essays, contribute substantive comments during the three module discussion periods, and take the final exam within the specified time frames. 

The final grade in the course will be made up of grades on essay submissions, group discussions, and the final exam.  The calculation of your final grade has the following components:  essay submissions = 40 percent of the final grade; group discussion participation = 40 percent of the final grade; and the final exam = 20 percent of the final grade.

With a potential of earning a total of 1,000 points in the course, the following point ranges (and accompanying grades) will be used.

Given the asynchronous nature of this course, the expectation is that students will be able to meet all deadlines for completing reading assignments, posting essay submissions and discussing group members’ submissions.  Tardy postings will compromise the quality of group discussions and accordingly are unacceptable.  In turn, only extraordinary or emergency circumstances will merit consideration for a deadline extension and will have to be evaluated by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.  Also, please e-mail the instructor as soon as possible to explain any anticipated or missed deadlines.

All academic assignments in this course are conducted under the provisions of the Tulane University Honor Code.  In particular, while students will collaborate during group discussions of the material and their work, when it comes to assembling their initial essay responses and taking module exams, students are expected to work independently.  The complete Honor Code is available online at: http://college.tulane.edu/code.htm. Also, all Honor Code Board meetings will take place in New Orleans.  In turn, if a student wishes to appear before the Honor Board (to counter an allegation of a violation of the Honor Code), the student must keep in mind that they will need to do so in New Orleans.  Further, if a student waives the right to appear in person before the Honor Board (in New Orleans), written statements will be accepted.

Any student with a disability in need of course or examination accommodations should request accommodations through the University’s Office of Disability Services located in the Mechanical Engineering Building.  Please do this as soon as possible.  In turn, please let me know you are eligible for accommodation (through an e-mail correspondence) and provide a copy of your approved accommodation form from ODS to me (as well as to each professor in whose course you wish to receive accommodations).  I am committed to working with the Office of Disability Services to ensure that all approved accommodations are provided.  However, if you do not deliver the approved accommodation form, I will not know you have been approved to receive accommodations and will have no basis for providing those accommodations.