General marketing

Subject	General marketing
Semester	1st semester (autumn)
Type	compulsory
ECTS	6 ECTS
Study programme:	Economics / 1st Bologna cycle
Primary language:	Slovene

Introduction
The course is delivered in Slovenian and is a compulsory (UNI) or elective (MA) course in accordance with the officially approved curriculum of the undergraduate and master's study programmes in Business Studies. The course is delivered in two versions: a basic version for students of the UNI programme and an advanced version for students of the MA programme. Alongside a common core of lectures, MA students have additional required reading, more demanding topics for their seminar papers, and more in-depth project activities in the work for an external client.
 
Prerequisites
Students must have a sufficient command of Slovenian to communicate with the lecturers and fellow students, to follow the lectures and to understand the study materials.

Content (Syllabus outline)

1. What does the concept of marketing encompass?
2. The development, role and importance of marketing
3. The subject matter of marketing and the basic typology of markets
4. Needs, wants and demands
5. Segmentation, target markets, positioning
6. The offering and the brand
7. Product value and consumer satisfaction
8. Marketing channels
9. The supply chain, competition and the market environment
10. Key social changes in recent years
11. The responses of marketers
12. An overview of the development of marketing approaches
13. The basic and the revised concept of the marketing mix
14. Value creation and the value chain
15. Strategic marketing planning and the mission of the company
16. Analysis of market conditions
17. Forecasting and measuring demand
18. Market research
19. SWOT analysis
20. Setting objectives
21. Strategies for the elements of the marketing mix
22. Product differentiation
23. The product life cycle
24. Pricing
25. Selecting and managing marketing channels
26. Marketing communication
27. Holistic marketing (people, processes, measurement, management and performance control)

Objectives and competences
To become acquainted with and understand the basic marketing concepts. To describe the influence of external and internal factors on the marketing decisions of companies. To analyse customers' purchasing behaviour and its influence on the market behaviour of companies. To analyse the market strategies used by companies.

Intended learning outcomes
Competences To acquire the ability to solve problems on the basis of qualitative and quantitative information. To develop the ability to anticipate situations and events, as well as the ability to recognise and interpret economic conditions in given circumstances. To develop the ability to make decisions. To acquire the ability to learn independently. To develop the ability to express ideas and construct arguments in a logical and coherent manner, both orally and in writing. To develop the ability to construct arguments that lead to critical and self-critical thinking. To develop the skills of adapting to new circumstances. To acquire approaches that facilitate adherence to ethical principles. To acquire the ability to analyse business conduct and decisions and to evaluate them from an economic, social and ethical standpoint. To develop the ability to transfer knowledge into practice. To develop the ability to build interpersonal relations and to work in a team. To become acquainted with the commercial function of the enterprise and to understand its objectives. To acquire the ability to understand and apply the basic marketing concepts and principles, to become acquainted with marketing policies and to understand the commercial environments in which companies operate. Learning outcomes Having passed the examination, the student will understand the functioning of the marketing function of the enterprise.

Learning and teaching methods

Forms of work

• Frontal teaching
• Group work by students on a project
• Independent student work

Methods of work

• Explanation
• Conversation/debate
• Presentations of seminar papers
• Project work for an external client

Assessment

• Assessment consists of: two mid-term tests, at least one seminar paper and the assessment of participation in the course.
• Students sit two compulsory mid-term tests. If both are graded positively, each accounts for 30% of the weight of the final course grade and may, at the student's request, replace the final examination. If both mid-term tests are not graded positively, or if the student chooses to sit the final examination, the weight of the latter in the final grade is 40% and that of each individual mid-term test is 10%.
• Each student prepares at least one seminar paper; the better-graded one accounts for 20% of the weight of the final course grade.
• Participation in the learning process accounts for 20% of the weight of the final course grade.
• Irrespective of the calculation taking the individual weights into account, a positive grade in the final examination is a prerequisite for a positive overall grade.

Readings

• Obvezna literatura
• Kotler, Philip, Armstrong, Gary. 2015. Marketing. An Introduction. Edinburgh: Pearson Education Limited.

Recommended additional literature

• Kotler, Philip; Keller, Kevin. Marketing Management. Pearson, 14 ed., 2011.

Office hours

• Before and after lectures
• By arrangement