Professor
Barbara BilliardiLearning objectives
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of module 1 the student will be able to:
– understand the contribution of marketing to the creation of value for the company, for customers and for society;
– understand the factors underlying the evolution of markets and the competitive context;
– understand the evolution of the role of the marketing function in the processes of formulating corporate strategies, in light of the profound changes that have occurred in the competitive environment;
– understand and interpret the decision-making mechanisms underlying the behavior of the final consumer and the end customer;
– understand the segmentation, positioning and innovation processes aimed at developing customer satisfaction;
– know the operational tools (product, price, distribution, advertising, promotion, etc.) to achieve company objectives.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
– make decisions relating to market strategies and customer value generation;
– apply consumer behavior analysis tools (research on consumption and purchasing behavior, perceptual maps, etc.);
– identify and implement marketing strategies (segmentation, targeting and positioning);
– develop a marketing strategy;
– apply the tools and techniques underlying the new product development process (from new ideas to the market launch of new products);
– structure a marketing plan.
AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
– analyze the evolution of the environment and the competitive context from the perspective of industrial enterprises;
– develop an analysis of metrics to measure the results and contributions of marketing investments;
– identify best practices in defining a marketing plan;
– critically analyze the practices of companies in launching new products;
– critically comment on cases and examples relating to marketing and product innovation strategies implemented by companies.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The interactive lectures, managerial testimonials, discussions of business cases and group work allow the student to:
– communicate clearly, in a concise, timely and coherent manner, to different interlocutors (both academic and corporate), information and concepts (even complex ones) relating to the implementation and evaluation of a marketing plan;
– communicate effectively using “insiders” language;
– correctly manage the contents and timing of a company presentation.
LEARNING ABILITY
The teaching is aimed at transferring to the student the ability to translate theoretical concepts and marketing models into empirical decision rules. At the end of the course, students will have developed the ability to expand, update and deepen the level and variety of knowledge acquired in the classroom, also thanks to the critical analysis in the classroom of case histories of companies that operate in the national and international context.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course (mod.1+mod.2) the student will be able to:
– understand the contribution of marketing to the creation of value for the company, for customers and for society;
– understand the factors underlying the evolution of markets and the competitive context;
– understand the evolution of the role of the marketing function in the processes of formulating corporate strategies, in light of the profound changes that have occurred in the competitive environment;
– understand and interpret the decision-making mechanisms underlying the behavior of the final consumer and the end customer;
– understand the segmentation, positioning and innovation processes aimed at developing customer satisfaction;
– know the operational tools (product, price, distribution, advertising, promotion, etc.) to achieve company objectives.
Course content
The first module of the course aims to provide the conceptual tools necessary to understand the evolution of B2C and B2B markets, learn the models underlying strategic marketing decisions, know the operational tools aimed at achieving business objectives and, finally, evaluate the economic and financial performance of marketing investments.
The course (mod.1+mod.2) includes, in addition to classroom lectures, interventions by managers and entrepreneurs, case discussions, classroom exercises, group work, participation in competitions organized by large companies. In this way, students are offered the opportunity to integrate theoretical knowledge with business practice in order to stimulate problem solving and decision making skills.
Module 1:
– Contemporary Marketing
– Analyze consumer markets
– Analyze the demand of businesses and organizations
– Competitive dynamics
– Demand segmentation and target market selection
– Define positioning strategies
– The 4Ps
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the fundamentals of economics and business management.
Bibliography
The recommended text for the first module of the course is the following:
– Kotler, Keller, Chernev, Ancarani, Costabile, Marketing Management (16th ed.), Pearson
Furthermore, interested students can consult the following texts for further study:
– R. East, M. Wright, M. Vanuele, Consumer Behavior, Apogeo, 2009
– R. Wiener, R. Dhar, F. Mosca, Marketing management (2nd ed.), Apogeo, Milan, 2013
– Lambin JJ, Market-driven management. Strategic and operational marketing (8th ed.)
In addition, the slides shown during the lessons and other additional material used in class will be provided weekly by the teacher (in PDF format, in the FILE folder of the team dedicated to the course).
Teaching methods and tools
The course (mod.1+mod.2) includes, in addition to frontal teaching, company testimonials, exercises, case discussions. Group work is planned to stimulate the ability to analyze and problem solve, encourage comparison and exchange of ideas and develop the ability to work in a team.
Knowledge acquisition: frontal lessons
Acquisition of the ability to apply the methodologies of analysis and acquisition of theoretical language: group work and discussion of successful cases in the national and international panorama
Acquisition of independent judgment: group work, discussion of cases and company testimonials
Acquisition of learning skills: the lessons will encourage student participation and critical discussion of the main topics examined.
The slides used to support the lessons will be uploaded weekly to the File folder of the team dedicated to the course.
For an effective exam preparation, you can use the notes taken during the lectures and the slides.
The lessons will be held in person, some testimonies may take place exclusively remotely in live streaming.
Recordings of all classes will be made available for those unable to attend in person.
Assessment methods and criteria
An integrated exam is planned between module 1 and module 2.
The final assessment of the students' preparation includes a WRITTEN TEST (lasting 20 minutes), on the theoretical contents presented in class, and the discussion of a group/individual PROJECT WORK.
WRITTEN EXAM: consists of theory questions on the entire program (module 1+module 2), 14 closed-ended questions (2 points per question) and 1 open-ended question (from 0 to 5 points). There is no penalty for incorrect or missing answers. The written exam grade will account for 40% of the overall exam grade. During the written exam, it is not permitted to consult phones, smartwatches, books, notes, handouts and other teaching materials.
PROJECT WORK: The project work will be discussed in class before the end of the lessons for attending students, or during the exam for non-attending students, and consists in the application of the theoretical concepts presented during the lessons, to a practical case. The project work will weigh 60% of the overall exam grade.
Project work evaluation criteria:
Creative and innovative ability
Ability to work in a group/individually
Ability to frame the need
Completeness and correctness of the topics covered
Technical feasibility of the project
Attention to social and/or environmental aspects
Effectiveness and quality of presentation
The final grade will be communicated after the written test and the presentation of the project work, and will be calculated as the weighted average of the written test grade (40%) and the project work grade (60%). To obtain honors, a weighted average of the 2 grades greater than or equal to 30,5 is required.
It is mandatory to register for the exam, exclusively via internet (esse3).
It is also possible for students attending the course to take the written test during a pre-exam (before the end of the course, usually the last week of lessons). The pre-exam will be agreed upon at the beginning of the course and will have the same structure as the official exams. It is mandatory to register for the pre-exam, a special registration procedure will be opened for registration. Students will be notified in class and by email of the opening of registrations and the deadline for registration.
During the academic year there are 5 exam sessions, divided into three sessions: January/February, June/July and September.
The grade of the written exam and/or project work is valid until the last exam session of the summer session (September 2025).
Additional info
Non-attending students are advised to periodically check the available teaching material and the instructions provided by the teacher in the Course Team, the only tool for teacher/student communication. On this platform, the slides used during the lessons and any additional material provided by the teacher will be made available in PDF format on a weekly basis.
