Introductory Marketing Essay

Case studies are a great way to learn marketing – applying what you have learned to a business situation will help you to understand the concepts well. This term we will analyze cases in two ways – in class, and as written case assignments to be handed in. IN-CLASS CASES: Your text contains cases to be discussed in class. It is essential that you read and prepare the case at the end of each chapter, when that chapter is assigned on the course schedule. Prepare your answers to the questions asked in the case, and have some answers formulated before you come to class. Everyone will be expected to be familiar with the case on the day for which the chapter it is in is assigned, and everyone will be expected to have formulated some comments and insights. CASES TO BE HANDED IN: Here is a list of the case assignments to be handed in and marked: Case 1 – Tablet War: RIM’s Playbook Versus Apple’s iPad, p.29, questions 1-4 Case 2 – Weight Watchers Versus Jenny Craig, p.177, questions 1-4 Case 3 – Puttin’ on the Ritz, p.346, please add a 4th question: 4.) Explain the marketing research process for a project designed to measure customer satisfaction with the Ritz-Carlton. Case 4 – Dove Widens Definition of Real Women†¦.and Men, p.486, questions 1-4 Case Assignment Guidelines: †¢ Cases should be no more than one page in length – no title page. Only one page will be marked! †¢ Cases are to be handed to the instructor personally, in class, on their due date. †¢ Two out of the scheduled cases will be selected by the instructor for marks – if you hand in all 4 cases, you will receive your two best marks; if you hand in 3 of the 4 cases, you will receive your best mark for one, and zero for the other; if you hand in 2 or less cases, you will get no marks for cases †¢ Copies should be kept of all work submitted. †¢ Read the case through, read the questions, and read the case again before you start to develop your answers. Spend some time on the company website getting to know the brand and its’ business from a marketing perspective. †¢ Answer as though you were a marketing executive, not a consumer. †¢ Use marketing words and terminology, not terms like â€Å"stuff† and â€Å"things†. Make each thought and sentence count – and make each simple and to-the-point. Avoid extra words or â€Å"filler† material. †¢ In a 1-page case analysis, you do not need quotes, nor do you need to repeat facts from the case write-up, keep your language succinct. †¢ Write your cases with a business writing style – short and to the point as opposed to an academic writing style – which is more of an essay format. †¢ Communicate well – use interesting sentences, correct grammar and spelling, accurate syntax. †¢ At the end of the analysis, give your own opinion, analysis or outlook. †¢ If your case is late it will be given a mark of zero. Marking: After you have submitted your case and your instructor has reviewed it, you will mark your case, out of 100%, using the type of marking scheme indicated in the chart below.