Overview of Course

Marketing represents the creation, communication, delivery, and exchange of value for customers, clients, and society at large. As a core function of business operations, marketing has implications for for-profits and non-profits, large and small organizations and community groups, and individuals that seek to understand the desires and needs of consumers and translate these into actionable marketing strategies. In this course, students will be introduced to the role of marketing in organizations and society, learn about core marketing concepts and theories, and gain experience with the marketing planning process. Students will engage in the analysis of an industry and the production of a viable marketing plan for a real business that we encounter via Semester at Sea. Particular emphasis will be placed on similarities and differences in the ways in which marketing operates globally – emphasizing evidence of the core foundational principles of marketing that hold constant across countries and how variations in consumers and cultures shape marketing strategies around the world. Students should be prepared for active participation and expect to work collectively on small-group learning challenges with opportunities for reflection, problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.