Edem Klobodu

COMM 333
Winter 2024

COMM 333: Marketing Strategy (Section 001Jan , Section 002)

Course Syllabus

Professor: Edem Klobodu

Office: Goodes Hall 415
Phone: 343-363-4596
Email: edem.klobodu@queensu.ca
Office Hours:
Tues 14:45-15:00
Thurs 13:15-13:30
Class Times: Section 001
Tues 13:00-14:30 at BIOSCI 2109
Thurs 11:30-13:00 at BIOSCI 2109
Class Times: Section 002
Mon 16:00-17:30 at BIOSCI 2109
Wed 14:30-16:00 at BIOSCI 2109

Required Course Materials

1. Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review are accessible through
the course website and the library database.

2. Case package available through QSB case room

3. Optional Text:

a. Chernev, A. (2019). Strategic Marketing Management: The Framework.

Cerebellum Press.
b. Walker Jr, O. C. & Mullins, J. W. (2014). Marketing Strategy: A Decision-
Focused Approach. McGraw-Hill/Irwin

4. All other learning materials can be found on our course website at smithlearning.ca

Course Objectives

Comm 333 is designed with two primary learning objectives:

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 1. To provide you with a comprehensive understanding of marketing strategy theory and the
process of developing marketing strategies, including the key managerial decisions
involved in planning and implementation.

2. To enhance your critical thinking skills, enabling you to make informed strategy
decisions and critically evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies.

This course equips students with the necessary tools to create and execute superior marketing
strategies. It focuses on a detailed analysis of a firm’s customers, products, competitors, markets,
resources, and technology. Students will learn to set product and market objectives, choose
competitive markets, and develop strategic marketing tactics. The course is practical,
emphasizing active learning through readings, case studies, and a real-time strategy simulation
called Markstrat.

The course is divided into three modules:

Module 1: Reviews marketing strategy and planning fundamentals, introducing strategic

frameworks essential for marketing decisions. It involves lectures, discussions, and activities.

Module 2: Allows students to delve into strategic frameworks through case analysis and
discussions, focusing on critical issues and broader strategic implications.

Module 3: Features the Markstrat simulation, where student teams apply their learning in a
dynamic environment to develop and modify competitive marketing strategies. This includes
selecting target segments, product development, and marketing mix decisions, all aimed at
maximizing Share Price Index (SPI), a measure that combines your sales, profit and market share
performance.

Prerequisites

COMM 131 or COMM 132

This course is restricted to students enrolled in the 3rd or 4th year of their program.

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Assess and understand both foundational and emerging theories that guide decision-
making in marketing strategy.

2. Utilize these theoretical frameworks to analyze and solve case studies related to
marketing strategy.

3. Create and execute effective product/market strategies and manage portfolios under
uncertain conditions using a computer-based marketing strategy simulation.

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 Materials
Cases
A selection of cases has been assembled for this course. The cases may be downloaded through
XanEdu on D2L.

Readings
The reading list for the course may be accessed through Stauffer Library, Queen’s University, or
directly via links provided at the portal. There is no fee associated with this element. Readings
are posted to the portal on a week-by-week basis.

Markstrat
All students must register for the Makrstrat simulation on the Stratx website. There is a fee
associated with this element.

Course Evaluation Overview

Item: Value
Midterm Exam 25%
Team Case Exercises (5) 15%
MarkStrat Simulation 15%
Quizzes 10%
Marketing Plan Development and 25%
Presentation
Participation 10%
Total 100%

The final grade you receive for the course will be derived by converting your numerical course
average to a letter grade according to the Queen’s GPA Grading Scale.

Course Evaluation Details

Midterm Exam (25%)

A midterm will be held in-class as indicated on the course schedule. The exam will require each
student to be able to apply the major concepts covered throughout the first half of the semester to
answering several key questions pertaining to a case, which will be distributed in class. For the
midterm exam, as is the case with the other cases this semester, you will be asked to focus on the
details of the case, without relying on information that may be available on the company of
interest in the broader media. To fully prepare for this exam you will need to be familiar with
both in-class materials as well as all assigned readings. The exam will last for one class session.
The format of the exam will be discussed in class.

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Team Case Exercises (15%)
As noted previously, for the first 2/3 of the semester, we will be intermixing Conceptual sessions
with Application sessions where we apply the concepts and theories to cases. I will post two or
three high-level questions or issues for the in-class discussion of each case. You will gather with
your group during these days to work on case studies. For each application session, each team
will be asked to submit short written responses to each of the high-level questions. These will be
reviewed and graded for quality, clarity, coherence, succinctness and thoughtfulness of the
responses. Throughout the course, there will be 5 cases, and each team case exercise is worth 3%
of your final grade.

MarkStrat Simulation (15%)

The simulation provides an opportunity to develop a marketing strategy and specific
implementation tactics and allows you to manage that strategy over time in response to market
changes. Each team will be assigned to one of two industries in which you will compete with
other teams. During the course of the simulation, your team will make some practice decisions
(not for grades) and formal decisions (D1-D4) (for grades). Specific details about the simulation
software and the process by which teams will compete will be addressed during in-class tutorials,
and relevant materials (such as reference documents) will be posted to the course website.
Your grade for the simulation will be based on two components: a concise, written marketing
decision strategy (up to 2 pages) outlining your approach and your team’s overall performance in
the simulation.

Quizzes (10%)
During the semester, two main quizzes will be conducted in class as per the syllabus schedule,
and punctuality is crucial as they will commence at the beginning of the class. Ensure you are
present and prepared to maximize your score.

Additionally, surprise quizzes will be sporadically throughout the semester to encourage

continuous engagement with the material. While memorization of the readings isn’t necessary,
familiarity with them is essential for success. These quizzes may take place at any time during
class, typically at the start. Your lowest quiz score will be omitted from your final grade to
accommodate any unforeseen circumstances.

Marketing Plan Development and Presentation (25%)

Building on the concepts learned in this course, each group will develop marketing plans for new
products. These projects will present unique challenges, such as the absence of historical data
and the necessity to make numerous decisions from the outset. The project will be concluded
with presentations from each group. Group members will evaluate each other’s participation to
promote fairness and engagement. Detailed information about the project, including specific
guidelines, will be provided during class, and posted on the course website.

Participation (10%): Points will be awarded based on how well you contribute to class
discussions. In other words, marks will be awarded based on insightful comments made in class
and/or summarizing the articles read for each day’s class. For each class, I will ask for a
volunteer to track the in-class contributions made by other students, and I will assess the quality
of these comments following each class. Please note that this is not an attendance grade (i.e.,

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attendance is not participation). However, you will have to be in class regularly to consistently
contribute to class discussion and earn your participation points.

Tentative Course Schedule

Date Content and Readings Course Reminders
and Deliverables
Jan 8-12 Getting Started: Course Overview and Materials
Week 1 Cl 1
Week 1 Cl 2 Theory—What is Strategy?

Readings:
Porter, M. E. (1996). What Is Strategy? Harvard Business
Review, 74(6), 61-78. Available at https://hbr.org/1996/11/what-
is-strategy

Felin, T., & Zenger, T. (2018). What Sets Breakthrough

Strategies Apart. MIT Sloan Management Review, 59(2), 86-88.
Jan 15-19 Theory—What is Strategy? II Quiz 1—What is
Week 2 Cl 1 Strategy?
Week 2 Cl 2 Theory—Customer Orientation

Readings:
Levitt, T. (2004). Marketing Myopia. Harvard Business
Review, 82(7/8), 138-149.

Dawar, N. (2013). When Marketing Is Strategy. Harvard

Business Review, 91(12), 100-108.
Jan 22-26 Theory—Industry Analysis
Week 3 Cl 1
Readings:
Schoemaker, P.J.H. & S. Krupp (2015). The Power of Asking
Pivotal Questions. MIT Sloan Management Review, 56(2), 39-47.

Kim, W., & Mauborgne, R. (2004). Blue Ocean Strategy.

Harvard Business Review, 82(10), 76-84.
Week 3 Cl 2 Application—Customer Orientation & Industry Analysis Gather with your
team!
Case 1: Living Case – The Rise and Fall of Blackberry Case 1 Team
Exercise due in class
Jan 29-Feb 2 Theory — Product Portfolio Models Quiz 2—Industry or
Week 4 Cl 1 Opportunity
Readings: Analysis
Moon, Y. (2005). Break Free from the Product Life Cycle.
Harvard Business Review, 83 (5), 86-94.

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 Wessel, M. and Christensen, C.M. (2012). Surviving
Disruption. Harvard Business Review, 90 (12), 56-64.

Week 4 Application— Product Portfolio Models Gather with your

Cl 2 team!
Case 2: Dominion Motors & Controls, Ltd. (HBS, 1992) Case 2 Team
Exercise due in class

Purchase MarkStrat
License
Online Only
DO NOT
REGISTER YET
Feb 5-9 MarkStrat Tutorial - Quiz (In-Class) –
Week 5 Cl 1 Markstrat Guide
- Bring Laptops to
Class
- Gather with your
team!
Week 5 Cl 2 Theory- Segmentation and Targeting

Readings:
Greenwald, Bruce, and Kahn, Judd. (2005). All Strategy
is Local. Harvard Business Review 83(9), 94-104.

Christensen, C. M., Hall, T., Dillon, K., & Duncan, D. S. (2016).

Know your customers’ jobs to be done. Harvard business
review, 94(9), 54-62.
Feb 12 -16 Application – Segmentation and Targeting Gather with your
Week 6 Cl 1 team!
Case 3: Red Lobster (HBS, 2011) Case 3 Team
Exercise due in class

Week 6 Cl 2 Theory – Customer Relationships

Readings:
Mittal, V, Sarkees, M., & Murshed, F. (2008). The Right
Way to Manage Unprofitable Customers. Harvard Business
Review, 86(4), 94-102.

Avery, J., Fournier, S., & Wittenbraker, J. (2014). Unlock the

mysteries of your customer relationships. Harvard Business
Review, 92(7), 72-81.
Feb 26 Mar 1 Application – Customer Relationships Gather with your
Week 7 Cl 1 team!
Case 4: Living Case – Aeroplan v. Air Canada

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 Case 4 Team
Exercise due in class
Week 7 Cl 2 In class Midsem
Mar 4 – 8 MarkStrat Session 1
Week 8 Cl 1
Week 8 Cl 2 MarkStrat Session 2 D1 due

Mar 11 – 15 MarkStrat Session 3 D2 due

Week 9 Cl 1
Week 9 Cl 2 MarkStrat Session 4 D3 due

Mar 19-22 Midsem Recap D4 due

Week 10 Cl 1
Week 10 Cl 2 Theory– Branding and Positioning

Readings:
Anderson, J. C., Narus, J. A., & van Rossum, W. (2006).
Customer Value Propositions in Business Markets.
Harvard Business Review, 84(3), 90-99.

Dawar, N. & C.K. Bagga (2015). A Better Way to Map Brand

Strategy. Harvard Business Review, 93(6), 90-97.
Mar 25 – 29 Application – Branding and Positioning Gather with your
Week 11 Cl 1 team!
Case 5: Li and Lee, Attorneys-at-Law and the Embezzlement of Case 4 Team
NT $3B by Eddie Liu (Ivey, 2008) Exercise due in class
Available at:
https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-
binaries/47445_chp_16.pdf

Week 11 C 2 Marketing Plan/ Guest Speaker (TBD)

Apr 1-5 Marketing Plan Presentation I Gather with your
Week 12 Cl 1 team!
Week 12 Cl 2 Marketing Plan Presentation II & Course Wrap-up Gather with your
team!

Course Policies

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Peer Evaluations
All team grades will be informed by mandatory peer evaluations which will take place at the end
of the term. This system is designed primarily to avoid social loafing. Most students will simply
receive their team’s grade. However, the instructor reserves the right to adjust an individual’s
grade for a team assignment based on information provided by the peer evaluations.

Late Policy
Any applicable late penalties are described in the details for each assessment. In the event of
extenuating circumstances, you may request an extension to an assignment due date without
penalty. Requests must be made to your instructor prior to the original due date of the
assignment, and some substantiating documentation is often required. Note that unacceptable
reasons include malfunctioning computer, travel plans to go home for holidays, generally behind
on schoolwork, etc. In the absence of substantiating documentation, the normal late penalty
described in the assignment will apply.

Returns and Appeals

The teaching team will provide feedback on graded activities. You can expect feedback on your
assessments within 14 days of the due date.
In returning assignments/exams to students, it is recognized that some students may feel that the
grade received does not truly reflect the quality of the work submitted. Students feeling that a
dispute exists after the grading of an exam or assignment may submit a written appeal requesting
a review of the initial grade assigned. This appeal should identify the item/question in dispute
and arguments supporting the student’s position for a reconsideration of the grade awarded. The
appeal should be attached to the course element and must be submitted within one week
following the return of the element. The instructor agrees to return a written response to the
student’s appeal within two weeks from the receipt of the appeal. It should be noted that in
reviewing an appeal of a grade assigned, the instructor has the option of leaving the grade
unchanged, adjusting the grade upward, or reducing the grade (based solely on an assessment of
the quality of the original submission) as a result of the appeal review.
Appeal submissions are limited to one (1) page, double-spaced, 12-point font, and should state
your argument as succinctly as possible. Appeal submissions cannot include additional
information that is intended to supplement or enhance the student’s response to the previously
submitted work.

Academic Integrity
Queen’s students, faculty, administrators, and staff all have responsibilities for supporting and
upholding the fundamental values of academic integrity. Academic integrity is constituted by the
five core fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility and by the
quality of courage (see www.academicintegrity.org). These values and qualities are central to the
building, nurturing, and sustaining of an academic community in which all members of the
community will thrive. Adherence to the values expressed through academic integrity forms a
foundation for the “freedom of inquiry and exchange of ideas” essential to the intellectual life of
the University.

Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with, and adhering to, the regulations
concerning academic integrity. Information on policies concerning academic integrity is

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available in Senate Academic Integrity Policy Statement and in Academic Integrity Procedures -
Requirements of Faculties and Schools which was approved by the Senate in October 2021 and
will be followed by Smith as of January 2022. You may also visit the academic integrity section
of the Office of the University Ombudsperson website for information about student rights and
responsibilities and guidance on policy and procedures as related to academic integrity.
General information on academic integrity is available at Academic Integrity at Queen's, An
overview of Smith’s own policies and procedures is available at Academic Integrity FAQs. Note
that this page reflects the requirements identified above. Departures from academic integrity
include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, use of unauthorized materials, facilitation, forgery, and
falsification. Actions which contravene the academic integrity regulations carry sanctions that
can range from a warning, to loss of grades on an assignment, to failure of a course, to
requirement to withdraw from the university.

Individual Work – I will clearly indicate when students can consult with one another or with
experts or resources. Otherwise, you are required to develop an original response to the assigned
topic. Assignments and examinations identified as individual in nature must be the result of the
student’s individual effort. Individuals must not look at, access or discuss any aspect of anyone
else’s solution (including a student from a previous year), nor allow anyone else to look at any
aspect of their own solution. Likewise, students are prohibited from utilizing the internet or any
other means to access others’ solutions to, or discussions of, the assigned material. If the
assignment requires outside research, all sources must be properly cited and referenced; be
careful to cite all material, not only of direct quotations but also of ideas. Help for citing sources
is available through the Queen’s University library at Citing and Citation Management.

Team/Group Work – I will clearly indicate when groups may consult with one another or with
other experts or resources. Otherwise, in a group assignment, the group members will work
together to develop an original, consultative response to the assigned topic. Group members must
not look at, access or discuss any aspect of any other group’s solution (including a group from a
previous year), nor allow anyone outside of the group to look at any aspect of the group’s
solution. Likewise, you are prohibited from utilizing the internet or any other means to access
others’ solutions to, or discussions of, the assigned material. If the assignment requires outside
research, all sources must be properly cited and referenced; be careful to cite all material, not
only of direct quotations but also of ideas. Help for citing sources is available through the
Queen’s University library at Citing and Citation Management. The names of each group
member must appear on the submitted assignment, and no one other than the people whose
names appear on the assignment may have contributed in any way to the submitted solution. In
short, the group assignments must be the work of your group, and your group only. All group
members are responsible for ensuring the academic integrity of the work that the group submits.

Accessibility and Academic Accommodation

Smith School of Business is committed to creating a learning environment that meets the needs
of its diverse student body. If you anticipate or experience any barriers to learning in this course,
please feel welcome to discuss your concerns with me. Students with disabilities may also wish
to work with Queen's Student Accessibility Services (QSAS) to discuss a range of options for
removing barriers in this course, including official accommodations.

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To learn more about the accommodations process as facilitated at Smith, visit the Academic
Accommodations page. This page has been updated to reflect the implementation of Ventus,
Queen’s University’s new online portal for managing academic accommodations. Ventus
securely connects students, Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS), the Exams Office,
instructors, and other support services in the process of managing and implementing academic
accommodations.

Academic Consideration for Extenuating Circumstances

If you are experiencing extenuating circumstances that are beyond your control (e.g., a sudden
physical or mental illness, a serious injury or required treatment for yourself or a significant
other, bereavement, or a traumatic event) and interfering with academic deliverables, you must
submit a request for academic consideration for extenuating circumstances to the Commerce
Office to receive academic consideration for any missed or affected deliverables. Please refer to
the Commerce portal for more information and to submit a request for academic consideration.
Please note that instructors are not to receive requests or supporting documentation (i.e., medical
forms, doctor’s notes, obituaries, etc.).
Personal or family events (i.e., wedding, vacation, interview, etc.), transportation difficulties,
chronic technical issues, and competing commitments are not considered extenuating
circumstances. Please contact your instructor directly to request academic consideration for these
circumstances. Your instructor has the discretion to approve or deny your request.
If your extenuating circumstance is related to your academic accommodations with QSAS, do
not complete a request for academic consideration. Instead, notify your instructor, QSAS
Advisor, and Commerce.AACC@queensu.ca.

Copyright
Unless otherwise stated, course materials are copyrighted and are for the sole use of students
registered in the specified course. The material on the website may be downloaded for a
registered student’s personal use but shall not be distributed or disseminated to anyone other than
students registered in this course.

Privacy
This course makes use of websites and software external to Smith’s secured server. Be aware that
by logging into any third-party site, you will be leaving SmithLearning and instead accessing
that company’s website. Your independent use of that site, beyond what is required for the
course, is subject to that individual company’s terms of use and privacy policy. For more
information about Stratx’s privacy policies, please visit
https://web.stratxsimulations.com/privacy-policy.

Turnitin
This course makes use of Turnitin, a third-party application that helps maintain standards of
excellence in academic integrity. Normally, students will be required to submit their course
assignments through SmithLearning to Turnitin. In doing so, students’ work will be included as
source documents in the Turnitin reference database, where they will be used solely for the
purpose of detecting plagiarism.
Turnitin is a suite of tools that provide instructors with information about the authenticity of
submitted work and facilitates the process of grading. Turnitin compares submitted files against

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its extensive database of content, and produces a similarity report and a similarity score for each
assignment. A similarity score is the percentage of a document that is similar to content held
within the database. Turnitin does not determine if an instance of plagiarism has occurred.
Instead, it gives instructors the information they need to determine the authenticity of work as a
part of a larger process.

Please read Turnitin’s Privacy Pledge, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service, which governs
users’ relationship with Turnitin. Also, please note that Turnitin uses cookies and other tracking
technologies; however, in its service contract with Queen’s Turnitin has agreed that neither
Turnitin nor its third-party partners will use data collected through cookies or other tracking
technologies for marketing or advertising purposes. For further information about how you can
exercise control over cookies, see Turnitin’s Privacy Policy: Turnitin may provide other services
that are not connected to the purpose for which Queen’s University has engaged Turnitin. Your
independent use of Turnitin’s other services is subject solely to Turnitin’s Terms of Service and
Privacy Policy, and Queen’s University has no liability for any independent interaction you
choose to have with Turnitin.

Personal Counseling
If at any time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, anxious, sad, lonely, or distressed,
supportive personal counselling is available to you through the Smith Commerce program.

Research Pool
COMM 333 is participating in the research pool, which means it is eligible for research pool
credit. If you choose to assign your research credit to this course it will bump your final grade by
a single increment (e.g., from C- to C). For COMM 333, the bump may not be used to move
from A to A+. Once assigned to a course, research credit cannot be changed. It will not change a
failing grade. All details about the research pool can be found on the research pool website
(https://smith-researchpool.sona-systems.com/), which is administered by the Smith Research
Pool (smith.research@queensu.ca). All questions about the research pool should be directed to
this email.

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