The University of Lahore

Lahore Business School

Strategic Marketing
Masters of Business Administration 3.5 Years (5)

Semester: Fall 2019

Instructor: Sumaira Irshad Email: Sumaira.irshad@lbs.uol.edu.pk

Course Code: Course Cr. Hrs: 3

I. Course Description:
Strategic Marketing is an advance level Marketing course. The aim of the course is to develop a strategic thinking
approach to marketing. It aims to help students understand how companies compete using marketing strategies and its
correlates focusing on achieving a competitive advantage for the firm by creating customer value and leveraging the
firm‟s marketing resources in the most efficient and effective manners. It builds upon the basic concepts of Marketing,
which the students have learned in their previous marketing courses and to prepare students to grasp the complex issues
of specialized courses like Business policy, etc.

II. Course Objectives (COs):

In this course, students are exposed to a dynamic world of marketing activities using a number of approaches and to
enable the students to understand the practical issues that are critical to develop performance orientation. Principles,
concepts and analytical tools are taught employing real life examples from both Pakistan‟s and international corporate
world. This will enable the students to develop skills and competency to apply analytical tools and develop appropriate
strategic marketing plans and manage its implementations.
III. Learning Outcomes:

This course is designed to develop the following abilities in the students:

 Compare and contrast the key principles of marketing strategy
 Explain marketing and strategy concepts and ideas in their own words
 Think strategically about marketing issues and provide recommendations
 To Successfully work as a team
 Deliver an oral presentation in a professional, engaging manner
 Prepare a professional, logical and coherent report in the form of a marketing plan

IV. Soft Skills and Personal Effectiveness:

After taking this course, students will be equipped with;

 Deep Discipline Knowledge
 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
 Teamwork and Communication Skills
 Career and Leadership Readiness
 Intercultural and Ethical Competency

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 V. Course Material:

Strategic Marketing by David W. Cravens & Nigel F. Piercy, 9th Edition

VI. Training Methods:

The course utilizes a mixture of interactive lecture, case discussions, and project‐related team activities. For the strategic
marketing project, students will form teams. They will be given prior information regarding the topics/cases/readings to
be discussed in the next session so that they come prepared.

VII. Evaluation Criteria:

Quizzes: 7.5%
Assignments: 7.5%
Project and presentations: 05%
Participation 05%
Mid Term Examinations: 25%
Final Term Examination: 50%
Total: 100%
VIII. Grading Criteria:

A student’s course score is associated with letter grades as per following grid:

Class Score Grade

85% or above A
<= 80% < 85% A-
<= 75% < 80% B+
<= 70% < 75% B
<= 65% < 70% C+
<= 60% < 65% C
<= 55% < 60% D+
<= 50% < 55% D
Less than 50% F

IX. Week-wise Content Break-up:

All reading resources will be provided by the instructor to students.

Week Contents
Introduction to Strategic Marketing: Market Driven Strategy
 Market Orientation
1  Capabilities
 Creating Value for Customers
 Becoming Market-Driven
2 Business and Marketing Strategies
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  Corporate Strategy
 Business and Marketing Strategy
 Marketing Strategy Process
 Preparing the Marketing Plan in General
Situation Analysis & Quiz #1
 Market vision, Structure and Analysis & Market and Strategies
3  Analyzing Competition
 Developing a Strategic Vision about the Future
 Market Size Estimation
Continuous Learning about Markets
 Market Orientation and Organizational Learning
4  MIS
 Marketing Research
 Issues in Collecting and Using information.
Designing Market-Driven Strategies:
Market Targeting and Strategic Positioning:
 Targeting Strategies
 Targeting Alternatives
5
 Factors Influencing Targeting Decisions
 Targeting in Emerging Markets, in Growth Markets, in Mature and Declining Markets and
in Global Markets
 The Positioning Process; The Positioning Strategy; Determining Positioning Effectiveness.
Relationship Strategies:
 Value-Enhancing Opportunities
 Environmental Turbulence and Diversity
 Skill and Resource Gaps
6  Customer-Supplier Relationships
 Distribution Channel Relationships
 End-user Customer Relationships
 Strategic Alliances; Joint Ventures; Internal Partnering
 Effective Relationships Between Organizations
Market Focused Program Development: Strategic Brand Management
 Managing the Product Portfolio
 Tracking Product Performance
7  Product Life-Cycle Analysis
 Brand Positioning Analysis
 Strategies for Improving Product Performance
 Brand Equity & Brand Identification Strategy
8 Revision
9 Mid Term Exam
Managing Value-Chain Relationships:
 Strategic Role of Distribution
 Channel of Distribution Strategy
10
 Managing the Channel
 International Distribution Patterns
 Factors Affecting International Channel Selection
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  Strategic Alliances
11 Guest Lecture: Contemporary Marketing Strategies and Practices
Pricing Strategy:
 Strategic Role of Price; Customer Price Sensitivity; Cost Analysis; Competitor Analysis; Legal
and Ethical Considerations; Selecting the Pricing Strategy; Determining Specific Prices and
12
Policies
Promotion, Advertising and Sales Promotion Strategies

Sales Force and Direct Marketing Strategies:

 Defining the Selling Process
 Designing the Sales Organization
 Managing the Sales Force
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 Sales Force Evaluation and Control
 Considerations in the Use of Direct Marketing
 Direct Marketing Methods
 Direct Marketing Strategy
Marketing Strategy Implementation and Control:
 The Marketing Plan
 Implementing the Plan
 Strategic Evaluation and Control
14
 Selecting Performance Criteria and Measures
 Obtaining and Analyzing Information
 Opportunities and Performance Gaps
 Determining; Deciding about Corrective Actions
15 Revision and Project Presentations
16 Final Exam

X. Consultation Protocol:
All relevant inquiries will be encouraged and it is highly advisable to ask them during lecture or consultation time.
However, if any query is missed during those times, please ask via email and/or SMS. Consultation hours are as follows:
Monday to Wednesday 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM
XI. Final Project:
MARKETING PLAN
Group Project - Written report 1500-2000 words
Each group will produce a strategic marketing plan that will form the basis of the decisions to be made for a fictitious
company. It is emphasized that the plan should have a longer-term perspective, which will guide the decision making to
period 10 and beyond.
The plan will contain:
 An internal and external analysis of past performance, competition, the markets, the environment and so on,
resulting in a SWOT
 Objectives and strategic direction for individual brands
 Targets for ensuing periods
 Strategies for individual brands
 A brief rationale for making these decisions

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XII. Plagiarism Policy:
LBS have a strict plagiarism policy to discourage all its forms. If found involved, strict disciplinary actions and exemplary
punishments are exercised in accordance with the LBS plagiarism policy and HEC guidelines. For details, please refer to
the exam policy”.
Academic offenses like cheating, plagiarism, etc., in any form or type, weaken the distinctive ethical character of the
university. LBS takes them very seriously and holds punishable under the university disciplinary system. For details, please
refer to exam policy.

XIII. Case Studies and Research Papers:

Week Contents Case Study/Article Source

King County: A Case Study Journal of Aviation

3 Model for Strategic Marketing Case Study Management and
Planning for Airport Managers Education

Super Beauty Soap: Sustaining Emrald

7 Brand Image. Bushan D. Case Study
Sudhakar

MID TERM EXAM

Vietnam’s Mobile Phone Emrald

Market: Strategic Choices for
11 Case study
Operators Khandoker
Mahmudur Rahman

Qualitative and Visual Consumer Emrald

14 Insights in Asian Markets Russell Case study
Belk .

END TERM EXAM

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