Marketing Management – I (Strategic Marketing Leadership)

2. Course Description

This course provides the foundation for leading a market-driven organization. It shifts the focus from "selling products" to "creating value." Students will learn to analyze consumer behavior, segment markets using data, and position brands strategically. The course combines classic Kotlerian frameworks with modern Digital Consumer Insights.

3. Course Objectives (Learning Goals)

1. To analyze the marketing environment and consumer buying behavior to identify market opportunities.
2. To apply Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning (STP) frameworks to define a brand's strategic direction.
3. To design customer-centric value propositions that differentiate a product in a crowded market.
4. To calculate key marketing metrics like Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC).

4. Course Outcomes (COs)

Mapped to Bloom’s Taxonomy and Taxila’s Program Outcomes.

CO Code	Course Outcome Description	Bloom's Level	Primary PO Mapping
CO1	Explain core marketing concepts (Value, Satisfaction, Marketing Mix) and the modern marketing environment.	Understand (L2)	PO1 (Mgmt Knowledge)
CO2	Apply consumer behavior theories to predict how customers will respond to marketing stimuli.	Apply (L3)	PO2 (Critical Thinking)
CO3	Analyze market data to Segment the market, Target specific groups, and define a Positioning map.	Analyze (L4)	PO1 (Tech/Data)
CO4	Evaluate the ethical implications of marketing decisions (Privacy, Truth in Advertising).	Evaluate (L5)	PO7 (Ethics)
CO5	Design a Marketing Plan or a "Brand Persona" for a new product launch.	Create (L6)	PO5 (Entrepreneurship)

 

5. CO-PO Articulation Matrix

Correlation: 3 (High), 2 (Medium), 1 (Low)

CO Code	PO1 (Mgmt/ Tech)	PO2 (Crit. Think)	PO3 (Lead/ Team)	PO4 (Comm.)	PO5 (Entrep.)	PO6 (Global/ ESG)	PO7 (Ethics)	PO8 (Life Learn)
CO1	3	2	-	-	1	1	-	1
CO2	2	3	-	-	2	-	-	2
CO3	3	3	-	1	2	-	-	2
CO4	1	2	-	-	-	1	3	-
CO5	2	2	1	3	3	-	-	3
AVG	2.2	2.4	1.0	2.0	1.6	1.0	3.0	2.0

 

6. Assessment Scheme 

 

Component	Marks	Description	Mapped CO
Simulation	20	Taxila Lab Simulations:   • Sim 1 (7 Marks): The Segmentation Engine.   • Sim 2 (7 Marks): The Positioning Map.   • Sim 3 (6 Marks): The CLV Calculator.	CO3
Case Study	10	"The Brand Crisis": Analysis of a marketing failure (e.g., Dove or Maggi crisis).	CO4
Presentation	10	"The Brand Audit": Group presentation analyzing a live brand’s STP strategy (Session 19).	CO5
Mid Term	10	Written exam covering Modules 1 & 2 (Environment & Consumer Behavior).	CO1, CO2
Project	10	"Field Research": Conducting a small survey/observation to understand customer pain points.	CO2
Class Participation	10	Participation in class discussions and daily preparation.	All
End Term	30	Comprehensive written exam covering all modules.	All
Total	100

 

7. Detailed Syllabus & Session Plan

Module 1: Understanding Marketing Leadership (Sessions 1-5)

• Session 1: Defining Marketing for the 21st Century

Topic: Needs vs. Wants, The Value Delivery Process, Marketing Myopia.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 1 ("Defining Marketing").

Pedagogy: Interactive Lecture.

• Session 2: The Marketing Environment

Topic: PESTLE Analysis, Analyzing Competitors.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Case: Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service (HBS).

Pedagogy: Case Discussion.

• Session 3: Marketing Information Systems & Research

Topic: Market Research Process, Big Data in Marketing.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 4 ("Collecting Information").

Pedagogy: Concept Check.

• Session 4: Taxila Lab Simulation 1

Topic: "The Segmentation Engine": Students analyze a dataset of customers to identify distinct clusters (segments) based on demographics and behavior.

Pre-Class Prep: Review "Bases for Segmentation" in Kotler.

Pedagogy: Simulation Lab (Taxila Lab Sim 1).

• Session 5: Customer Value & Satisfaction

Topic: Customer Perceived Value (CPV), Net Promoter Score (NPS), Retention.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Case: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts: Branding to Increase Customer Profitability (HBS).

Pedagogy: Case Discussion.

 

Module 2: Analyzing Consumer Markets (Sessions 6-10)

• Session 6: Consumer Buying Behavior - I

Topic: The Buying Decision Process, Factors Influencing Behavior (Cultural, Social).

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 6 ("Analyzing Consumer Markets").

Pedagogy: Lecture.

• Session 7: Consumer Buying Behavior - II (Psychology)

Topic: Motivation (Freud, Maslow, Herzberg), Perception, Learning.

Pre-Class Prep: Watch Video: "The Psychology of Price" (YouTube).

Pedagogy: Video Analysis.

• Session 8: Business Markets (B2B)

Topic: Differences between B2B and B2C, The Buying Center.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Case: Maersk Line: B2B Social Media (IIMA/HBS).

Pedagogy: Case Discussion.

• Session 9: Taxila Lab Simulation 2

Topic: "The CLV Calculator": Students calculate Customer Lifetime Value for different segments to decide where to invest marketing budget.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Note on "CLV Formula".

Pedagogy: Simulation Lab (Taxila Lab Sim 2).

• Session 10: Competition & Strategy

Topic: Porter’s Five Forces, Competitive Strategies (Leader, Challenger, Follower).

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 12 ("Addressing Competition").

Pedagogy: Workshop ("War Gaming" - Map competitors for a brand).

Module 3: STP Strategy - The Core (Sessions 11-15)

• Session 11: Segmentation

Topic: Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic, Behavioral segmentation.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 9 ("Identifying Market Segments").

Pedagogy: Activity (Segmenting the class).

• Session 12: Targeting

Topic: Evaluating Segments, Target Market Selection (Mass vs. Niche).

Pre-Class Prep: Read Case: Chase Sapphire: Creating a Millennial Cult Brand (HBS).

Pedagogy: Case Discussion.

• Session 13: Positioning

Topic: Points-of-Parity (POP) vs. Points-of-Difference (POD), Perceptual Mapping.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 10 ("Crafting the Brand Positioning").

Pedagogy: Workshop.

• Session 14: Taxila Lab Simulation 3

Topic: "The Positioning Map": Students launch a product and adjust its features/price to move it on a live Perceptual Map to find the "Blue Ocean."

Pre-Class Prep: Review "Differentiation Strategies".

Pedagogy: Simulation Lab (Taxila Lab Sim 3).

• Session 15: Brand Equity

Topic: What is a Brand? Aaker’s Model, Brand Resonance Pyramid.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Case: Maggi Noodles in India: The Lead Contamination Crisis (IIMA).

Pedagogy: Case Discussion (Brand Crisis Management).

Module 4: Product Strategy & Marketing Plan (Sessions 16-20)

• Session 16: Product Lifecycle (PLC)

Topic: Introduction, Growth, Maturity, Decline strategies.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 11 ("Setting Product Strategy").

Pedagogy: Graphing Activity.

• Session 17: New Product Development

Topic: Idea Generation to Commercialization. Why products fail.

Pre-Class Prep: Read Case: Mountain Man Brewing Co. (HBS).

Pedagogy: Case Discussion.

• Session 18: Service Marketing

Topic: The 7 Ps of Services, Service Quality (SERVQUAL).

Pre-Class Prep: Read Kotler, Chapter 14 ("Designing and Managing Services").

Pedagogy: Lecture.

• Session 19: Presentation Assessment

Topic: Presentation Component (10 Marks): "The Brand Audit". Teams present STP analysis of a chosen brand.

Pre-Class Prep: Finalize Slides.

Pedagogy: Student Presentations.

• Session 20: Course Wrap-Up & Project Review

Topic: Review of Key Concepts + Project Feedback.

Pre-Class Prep: Submit "Field Research" Project.

Pedagogy: Review.

8. Textbooks & Resources

1. Mandatory Textbook: Marketing Management by Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane Keller, Abraham Koshy, and Mithileshwar Jha (Pearson - Indian Context Edition).
2. Case Studies: Harvard Business School (HBS) & IIM Ahmedabad cases (as listed).
3. Lab Resources:

Taxila Lab Sim 1: The Segmentation Engine.

Taxila Lab Sim 2: The CLV Calculator.

Taxila Lab Sim 3: The Positioning Map.