UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM

BUSINESS SCHOOL
Department of Marketing

COURSE OUTLINE

MK 612: Branding and Pricing Strategies

Master of Business Administration (MBA FT) Programme

Second Year, Semester 3

Course and Instructors’ Details

Instructor (Leader) Instructor Instructor 3
Course Instructors Dr Nelly Samson Maliva Dr David Rwehikiza
Email maliva.nelly@udsm.ac.tz
Office Location UDBS C 308
Phone +255 754 374 398
+255 653 374 398
Consultation Time Thursdays & Fridays

Course Credits 12 Seminar Hours Thursday, 16:00-

17:00
UDBS B106
Course Pre- MK 600 Lecture Hours Thursday, 14:00-
requisite 16:00
UDBS B106

A: Course Overview and Introduction

Branding and pricing are key strategic elements of marketing which play an important role in
creating enduring competitive advantage of the firm. While both branding and pricing are
covered in various generic marketing course, special focus on the two marketing areas is needed
given their value in strategic marketing decisions. More specifically, the course is divided into
two major components namely branding and pricing strategies. The first part of the course pays
special attention to the strategic implications of branding for organizations and delivers a set of
tools for effective brand management. The course promotes a more holistic understanding of
business based on the assumption that branding serves a fundamental strategic function. It
intends to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge and skills on branding and
strategic brand management. At the end of the course, students are expected have a theoretical

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and practical knowledge on branding concepts, branding strategies and branding management
decisions, and have skills on how branding is integrated in other marketing decisions.
The second component of the course focuses on pricing strategies. This component is
equally important given the uniqueness of pricing and its role in the firm. It is clear that
pricing is a unique category of the marketing mix that represents revenue for the firm.
The remaining Ps (product, place, and promotion) are costly activities undertaken to create
value for the consumer. Yet, most companies adopt very simple heuristics or "rules of
thumb" for setting prices, often divorced from firm strategy and economic reality. This
component of course will therefore enable students to learn and apply relevant
frameworks for making pricing decisions. The course will take an integrative approach,
combining strategic, economic, marketing, and psychological considerations. Using
different approaches, it will equip students with the ability to determine appropriate
product/service prices for higher profits under different market situations.

B: Course Objectives
The main objective of the course is to enable the students learn and acquire theoretical and
practical knowledge on the development and implementation of effective branding and
pricing strategies. At the end of the course, students are expected to have knowledge and
skills on branding and pricing tools which enable and organization to become competitive.
More specifically the course will enable the students to:
i. Learn and appreciate the role of brands, the concept of brand equity and the advantage of
creating strong brands.
ii. Learn and acquire the tools for designing brand to support marketing programs.
iii. Acquire knowledge on brand management and branding strategies.
iv. Learn how to integrate marketing communication to build brand equity
v. Acquire the knowledge on how to manage brands over geographical boundaries, cultures
and market segments.
vi. Learn the significance and challenges of pricing as a strategic marketing function.
vii.Learn the basic economics of pricing and how it affects marketing decisions made
by the firms.
viii. Apply pricing methods and approaches under varying marketing conditions and
diverse geographical boundaries.
ix. Learn how to integrate pricing decisions and practices into managerial functions.

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C: Expected Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
i. Develop and implement branding strategies.
ii. Use branding and pricing as competitive strategies of their organization
iii. Use marketing metrics in evaluating brand and pricing strategies.
iv. Formulate and implement pricing strategies.
v. Integrate pricing decisions into other managerial functions.
vi. Design marketing programs that integrate branding and pricing with other marketing mix
elements.
vii. Become effective and competitive marketing managers.

D: Course Prerequisite and Delivery Methodology

Delivery of this course will entail both theoretical and practical approaches. A number
of teaching methodologies will be used including lectures, class presentations, group
work, individual assignments, case studies, class assignments and project assignment. All
students are required to attend lectures and participate in class activities. A number of
class activities will be given during lecture hours and they will count on the students'
course work. It is mandatory for all students to read the literature provided. The students
must submit their assignments on given deadlines. Unless there is prior and official
communication on failure of the student to attend lectures, no consideration will be
made for a missed surprise quiz. During class sessions all students will be required to
write notes and the use of mobile phones is prohibited.

E: Course Evaluation
Item Weight Addressing Learning Timing/
outcome Deadline
Test 20 1-3 Week 6
Class presentation of the group 10 1-3 Week 3-10
assignments
Course paper 20 3 Week 13
Total coursework 50
Final Examination 50 1-3

Total 100%

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F: Topics Covered / Weekly Lecture Schedule:
Week TOPIC
1 Course Introduction and logistics
(24/11/2022)
2
(01/12/2022) Lecture 1: Introduction to branding and brand management.

3 Lecture 2: Brand equity and brand positioning

(08/12/2022)
4
(15/12/2022) Lecture 3: Planning and implementing brand marketing programs.
5
(22/12/2022) Lecture 4: Integrating marketing communications into build brand
equity.
6
(29/12/2022) Lecture 5: Measuring and interpreting brand performance

7 Lecture 6: International brand management.

(05/01/2023)
8 Semester Test
(12/01/2023)
9 Lecture 7: Pricing and economic value to customers
(19/01/2023) -
10 Lecture 5: Economics of pricing
(26/01/2023) -
11 Lecture 6: Pricing strategies and decisions
02/02/2023
12 Lecture 7: Unethical pricing practices
09/02/2023
13 Lecture 8: Presentations
16/02/2023
14 Lecture 9: Presentations and Discussions
23/02/2023
15
30/02/2023 Revision

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G: References

Textbooks (UDBS Library)

1. Kapferer, Jean Noel (2007). Strategic Brand Management, Kogan Page, London.

2. Keller, Kelvin. L. (2008). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing
Brand Equity (3rd edition). Pearson Education, New Jersey, CA.

3. Koch, J.V. (2000). Industrial Organizations and Prices, New Jersey, Prentice Hall Int. Editions.

4. Kotler, P., (2001). Marketing Decisions Making: A Model Building Approach. London, Holl,
Rinehart and Winston.

5. Tucker, S.A. (2006).Pricing for Higher Profit, Criteria, Methods, Applications. McGraw Hill
Book Co.

6. Tucker. S.A (1996): Pricing for Higher Profit. Criteria, methods and Applications,
McGraw Hill Book Company.

7. David, J (2002): Principles and Practices of Marketing 3i d edition , McGraw Hill Book
Company

8. Charles G. & Wineaster A. (2016). International Marketing: Lessons and practice from
developing countries, 1 st edition; Cambridge Scholars Publishing

H: Group Assignment: Term Paper

Select any organization that deals with supply of products and/or provision of the services in
Tanzania. You may choose a business of any size including the small enterprise. Study the
major activities of the organization/business and write the term paper based on the following
format;

i) Introduction (overview of the company, its activities, products and services offered,
organization structure etc.)
ii) Methodology and approach used to collect the information used in the paper
(secondary and primary sources of data, type of data collected, the approach used to
compile data and draw the lessons presented in the paper)
iii) Marketing practices in the company (target customers, description of marketing section
(if any), management of marketing mix and other marketing activities etc.)
iv) Branding strategies and practices (branding and its role, brand equity, branding
extension, brand management, challenges of branding etc.)
v) Pricing practices (pricing strategy, pricing method (s), challenges of pricing,
techniques used to deal with pricing challenges, and any other relevant information about
the pricing practices).

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 vi) Conclusion and recommendations (lessons drawn from the findings. integrating
theoretical and practical lessons, key conclusions and recommendations).

Guidelines for preparing the paper

i) Each paper will be prepared by a maximum of 3 students
ii) Each participant will prepare at least one section of the paper
iii) Ensure that you participate fully in the preparation of the paper as you may be asked
to defend at least one section of the paper).
iv) You are required to submit and defend the paper not later than week 14 of this
semester.
v) If you require the introduction letter, you may ask the Course Instructor to prepare
the letter for you.