Learning objectives
This course has been designed to illustrate the evolution of the role of the marketing function in business strategy formulation processes in the light of the deep changes there have been in the competitive environment.
In terms of skills, at the end of the course students will have an advanced knowledge of marketing management tools to understand changes form the macro-environment and the implications for strategic marketing plan.
In particular, the student will have the necessary knowledge to understand the issues related to the selection and management of distribution channels (maneuvering the levers of retail mix by commercial companies, allocation of trade marketing investment by industrial firms) in a context made more complex by the coexistence of physical and virtual channels.
Case studies, business games and managerial lessons will allow to verify the correspondence between the theory and business practice.
Finally, the course aims to help students to develop a proper independence of judgment and communication skills.
With regard to the independence of judgment, students will be able to use the conceptual and operational tools acquired during the course in order to develop their own independent thinking. This will be expressed through the ability to develop an individual process of information analysis and interpretation of the same from the quality and quantity point of view. Students will be able to take strategic decisions and to identify operational solutions with respect to the various problems of retail and channel management. Judgment will be pursued through the combined use of different teaching tools: critical analysis of some case studies that will be discussed in the classroom with the active participation of the students, the realization of specific group work and interaction with qualified manager who will present in classroom case studies on topics covered during the course.
In terms of communication skills, students will be able to transfer information and concepts relating to issues in retail and channel management in a clear and timely manner. In addition, during managerial lessons, students will adopt behaviors of "active listening" understanding the concepts and terms used by corporate stakeholders.
Students should be able to prepare brief papers, or providing an oral summary of a particular theme, even with an information technology presentation. At the end of the course students will be able to transfer information clearly to any audience (managerial, academic or none x p e r t s ).
In terms of learning skills, at the end of the course students will have developed the ability to expand, update and develop the level and variety of the knowledge acquired in the classroom. More specifically, the development of these skills will enable students to have a broad intellectual curiosity and wanting to be updated in order to understand the issues of retail and channel management in a competitive scenario evolving.