The course is based on two perspectives on marketing and business development:
- The role of Marketing in integrating different functions in the firm.
- Marketing as integration with the market
The course starts with a module focusing on market analysis and on how firms and other actors can act strategically to build and/or modify markets. Subsequently, the course addresses issues such as how effective sourcing and supply management contribute to value-creating business strategies. This is an often underplayed but highly critical aspect of the value creation-process that more and more companies tend to address at an increasing pace.
The creation of effective and customer-driven distribution strategies is the third part of the course and addresses modern forms of distribution. It also brings CSR-topics into the picture. How marketing and sales can be organized to facilitate integration between functions in the firm and with the market concludes the course. Sales and marketing is a very costly area and in recent times a lot of new opportunities thanks to e.g. emerging technologies have come to play and provide a lot of new opportunities for improving efficiency as well as effectiveness. A recurring sub-theme for this part is so called ”solution business” i.e. firms offering integrated solutions and the particular challenges that kind of business brings along.
After this course you are able to develop and manage businesses to effectively and successfully create value. More specifically, after completing the course you are able to…
…relate fundamental marketing concepts and theories to each other, as well as relate these concepts and theories to the broader context of management and development of business activities,
…explain and discuss concepts and theories relating to the main themes of the course, discuss how the phenomena captured by these theories and concepts impact on each other, and relate these concepts and theories to the management and development of business activities,
…use and systematically integrate theories from several schools of marketing thought to manage the complex interplay between functions in the firm (such as sourcing, supply management, distribution, and marketing and sales) and the firm and its environment (suppliers, customers, other stakeholders) in previously unfamiliar contexts relating to the management and development of business activities.
Media Management
The aim of the Media Management course is to provide the students with tools for observing, analyzing and understanding business models, value creation processes and driving forces in the media environment. The focus of the course is to explore business opportunities and make decisions in the environment of a rapidly changing media industry.
A central challenge for media corporations today is to keep pace with new technology and to continuously learn and create knowledge in a rapidly changing environment. However, scientific work has shown that advances in technology alone are not enough to achieve high organizational performance. The competition within the media industry is fuelled by low exit barriers for media consumers, low entry barriers for new players, several different distribution channels for content and high demand for new content.
The course aims to provide the students with theoretical and conceptual tools for observing, analyzing and understanding business models, value creation processes and driving forces in the media environment. Among the key concepts and issues in the course are aspects of value creation, customer involvement in service innovations, and the development of business models for media companies.
Media Management is divided into two modules. The first module provides an overview of strategy and strategy related models, theories and discussions, mixed with analysis of media cases, aiming to give practical use of the theories. The case analysis consists of group assignments, with presentations and class discussions. Academic and business guest lectures will be given correspondingly to each case. Four cases (group assignments) are included in the module. The second module consists of a business project and associated guest lectures. The aim of the business project is to create a strategic business plan including recommendations for a company in the media industry. The work will be conducted in groups of 4-5 students, and companies will be appointed to every group. Group coaching will be given in this module.
XL
XL is a full-semester course in creative business development, brand management, and marketing communications. It creates leaders who excel in thinking, designing and communicating value to both business and consumers. XL is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial execution. We use the latest research findings to solve real-life business problems. Theories from the academic world are combined with our partner companies’ and our own experiences, and together we find new and effective ways to create and communicate value.
XL enables students to develop the skills needed to generate ideas and make them come to life. It is set up to enable them to excel in their future careers. Our solutions are always comprehensive in both strategy and implementation, and they never lack in creativity. Our partner companies help us understand how creative business development, brands and communications work in the real world and their support and feedback is essential for our success.