Topics in Marketing

Course overview and objectives:
This course introduces students to selected, advanced topics in Marketing & Consumer Behavior. It covers (i) how individual (internal) and social/contextual (external) factors influence buying decisions in B2C markets; (ii) how managers can capitalize on such influences by developing appropriate marketing activities. By the end of this course, students are expected to:
• Understand buying decisions and their social, organizational and individual determinants
• Apply this knowledge in the development and implementation of marketing activities
• Learn and apply the principles of an Integrated Marketing Communications plan 
• Understand the main marketing implications of globalization and digital technology use
• Learn and apply basic marketing research tools to study buying decisions
• Critically analyze the marketing decisions (and outcomes) of brands and firms
• Improve oral and written communications skills in (business) English

Course Content
Buying Decisions:
Internal Influences
Knowledge and Involvement
Judgment: Attitudes and Preferences
Buying Intentions, Decisions and Behavior
External Influences
Social Group and Interpersonal Influences
Household and Cultural Influences 
Contextual Influences: Habitual Behavior, Choice Architectures and Consumption 
Environments
Marketing Management Activities:
Designing and managing an Integrated Marketing Communication plan
Developing international marketing strategies

Grading
• Mid-term: Students will first be individually assessed on their learning of course contents by taking the course’s mid-term. This term covers the contents of classes taught during the first half of the semester and accounts for 40% of the course grade. A grade of 9.5/20 points is required to pass the mid-term.
• Group project: Students will next be assessed by their work in a group of 5-6 class members. The goal of each group is to prepare an Integrated Marketing Communications plan for a firm/brand of their choice during the second half of the semester. Group work will take place both during and outside classes. Groups will submit a written report describing their IMC plan as well as present and discuss their IMC plans in class at the end of semester. Group grades will be based on the quality of both written reports and class presentations, and may be individually adjusted (up to ± 10% of the course grade) to reflect participation in group activities and group presentations. Group work accounts for 30% of the course grade.
• End-term: Students will be again individually assessed on their learning of course contents by taking the course’s end-term. This term covers the contents of classes taught during the second half of the semester and accountsfor 30% of the course grade. A grade of 9.5/20 points is required to pass the end-term.
• The final exam is MANDATORY for students with < 9.5 points in both terms. A minimum exam grade(s) of 10.0 is required to pass. Exam grade (70%) will be averaged with group grade (30%) to compute final course grade.
• The final exam is OPTIONAL for students with ≥ 9.5 in both terms. 

No minimum exam grade(s) is required to pass the course. Exam grade (70%) will be averaged with group grade (30%) to compute final course grade, i.e., exam grade will fully and exclusively replace term grades. 
Students will be briefed on terms and exam format and length in class.

Bibliography
Required readings:
• Babin, B.J. & Harris, E.G. (2022). CB9
- Student Edition. 9th Ed., Cengage Learning.
• Clow, K.E. & Baack, D. (2022). Integrated Advertising, Promotion and Marketing Communications, 9th Ed., Pearson Education. 
Other readings:
• Solomon, M.R. (2020). Consumer Behavior - Buying, Having and Being. 13th Ed., Pearson Education.
• Solomon, M.R., S. Askegaard, M.K. Hogg and G.J. Bamossy (2019). Consumer Behavior –A European Perspective. 7th Ed. Pearson Education.
• Hoyer, W.D., MacInnis, D.J. & Pieters, R. (2018). Consumer Behavior. 7th Ed., Cengage Learning
• Zook, Z. & Smith P.R. (2019). Marketing Communications. 7th Ed., Kogan Page.
Teaching materials (syllabus, instructor slides, assignments, useful readings, videos, grades) will be posted at the course website in Moodle moodle.lisboa.ucp.pt.