HO CHI MINH CITY INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING
BA003IU
1. COURSE STAFF

Lecturer: Nguyen Que Tien

Room: A1.305
E-mail: nqtien@hcmiu.edu.vn (preferred contact method)
Consultation Hours: Anytime with appointment, from Monday to Thursday

All students are advised to make appointment in advance.

2. COURSE INFORMATION

2.1 Teaching times and Locations

Lecture:
Lecture:

2.2 Units of Credit

This course is worth 3 credits.

3. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
National markets are now in a period characterised by ‘exchange relationships’ where
the principal focus is on sets of integrated activities geared to serve the interests of the
customer first. The role of the marketer, therefore, is to facilitate exchange
transactions in an increasingly challenging environment.
This justifies the development of an understanding of the micro and macro dimensions
of the wider environment as the participant works through the learning activities of
this course. Marketers are expected to be receptive to shifts in customer preferences,
attitudes, and loyalties to a brand or a product. There is equally a genuine interest in
the capacity of markets (consumers) to engage or respond to demand for innovation in
product or service characteristics.
At the same time developing a coherent marketing plan depends upon a range of
skills, insights, and methodologies, but the focus of your endeavours must be crystal
clear. Planning a marketing program can be enormously demanding, so the
development process has to be managed and kept in the realm of the achievable. The
purpose of this course is to introduce students to the concepts of Marketing at the
same time as giving them an insight to their strategic implications.

4. COURSE OBJECTIVES:
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
 • Recognize the roles of marketing in business activities
• Understand basic marketing concepts such as customer behavior, segmentation,
marketing research, marketing mix… and the principles used in developing
marketing programs in a firm.
• Overview and analyze the processes, problems and activities associated with
the planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution
of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges. 
• Conduct a professional marketing plan
5. TEXTBOOKS & REFERENCES:
- Textbook:
Philip Kotler and Gary Amstrong, 2007, Principles of Marketing, Prentice Hall, 13th
ed.
- Readings:
Charles W. Lamb, 2005, Essentials of Marketing, Thomson.
- In addition to the above textbook, it is advisable for you to refer regularly to recent
issues of the academic journals for current research and contemporary issues

6. LEARNING ASSESSMENT:
 Major Marketing Plan [Report & Presentation] (in Group): 30%
 Mid-term Examination: 30%
 Comprehensive Final Examination: 40%
 Total: 100%
6.3. Major Marketing Plan (30%):
Group of 6-7 students is required to prepare a Marketing Plan for an existing brand/
company in Vietnam. The contents of your Marketing Plan should be followed the
sample as in Table 2.2 (page 55) of chapter 2 in the textbook. Students are required to
use relevant Marketing terms and theories learnt from the textbook and lectures. The
report is 2000-2500 words count. The report is counted 20%
In the last week of semester, group will prepare a presentation to present their
major marketing plan to the class and the lecture. The people to present will be
selected by the lecturer. The presentation is counted 10%
Due date: all groups are required to submit the Marketing Plan on week 12 lecture to
the lecturer prior to the class start.
6.4. Mid-term examination (30%) & Final Exam (40%):
Mid-term & Final examination includes multiple choice questions and 2 essay
questions. This is an open book exam.
6.5. Special Consideration:
Request for special consideration (for final examination only) must be made to the
Office of Academic Affairs within one week after the examination. General policy
and information on special consideration can be found at the Office of Academic
Affairs.

7. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT

7.1 Workload

It is expected that the students will spend at least six hours per week studying this
course. This time should be made up of reading, research, working on assignment,
preparing for presentation and attending classes. In periods where they need to
additionally prepare for examinations, the workload may be greater.

Over-commitment has been a cause of failure for many students. They should take the
required workload into account when planning how to balance study with part-time
jobs and other activities.

7.2 Attendance

Regular and punctual attendance at lectures and presentations is expected in this

course. University regulations indicate that if students attend less than eighty per cent
of scheduled classes they may be refused final assessment. Exemptions may only be
made on medical grounds.

7.3 General Conduct and Behavior

The students are expected to conduct themselves with consideration and respect for
the needs of the fellow students and teaching staff. Conduct, which unduly disrupts or
interferes with a class, such as ringing or talking on mobile phones, is not acceptable
and students will be asked to leave the class. More information on student conduct is
available at the university webpage.

7.4 Keeping informed

The students should take note of all announcements made in lectures or on the
course’s Blackboard. From time to time, the university will send important
announcements to their university e-mail addresses without providing a paper copy.
The students will be deemed to have received this information.
8. ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the presentation of the thoughts or work of another as one’s own

(definition proposed by the University of Newcastle). Students are also reminded that
careful time management is an important part of study and one of the identified causes
of plagiarism is poor time management. Students should allow sufficient time for
research, drafting, and the proper referencing of sources in preparing all assessment
items. The university regards plagiarism as a form of academic misconduct, and has
very strict rules regarding plagiarism.

9. CLASS SCHEDULE:
Week Session Reading Assessment
1 -Subject introduction and discussion Chapter
-Introduction to Marketing and the Strategic 1
Marketing Planning Process
2 & 3 -Marketing Environment Chapter
- Marketing strategy 2& 3
4 -Consumer markets and consumer buying Chapter 5
behaviour
5 -Business markets and business buyer Chapter 6
behaviour
6 -Market Segmentation Chapter 7
Midterm
7 -Product, Service and Brand Chapter 8

8 -Pricing Chapter
10

9 -Marketing Channels Chapter

12

10 -Integrated Marketing Communications Chapter

Strategy and Advertising 14 & 15

11 -Public Relations, Personal Selling and Sells Chapter

Promotion 15 & 16
-Marketing Plan Preparation – Quizzes +
Q&A + Group games
12 Marketing Plan Presentations – Course Marketing
revision & Exam tips Plan Report
Submission
13 Presentation day
14 Presentation day
16-18 Final EXAM

* The week number refers to the sequence of class, not the University academic calendar’s
week number

10. SUGGESTED STUDY METHODOLOGY:

As the entire course is being taught within an intensive time frame of 14 weeks, it is
essential that students read the relevant chapters prior to each class. It is also
expected that students will read prescribed case studies and prepare for class
discussion as per the pre-determined schedule.
A key objective is to foster a stimulating, self-learning environment and culture.
Studying opportunities will be provided through student papers, formal lectures, case
studies, group assignments, and the designation of required textbooks and some
additional recommended reading material. Much studying takes place in informal
environments and students are encouraged to get to know each other’s backgrounds
and interests and to discuss the issues raised in class and by their project work with
other students.
Class participation by all students in such discussion is critical if students are to
maximize their learning from the subject.
With the advent of electronic sources, such as the World Wide Web, access to a vast
array of information has become readily available. Students are strongly advised to
avail of the opportunities and become familiar with electronic forms of accessing
appropriate academic web-sites and databases.

11. EXAM FORMAT:

Midterm Exam and Final Exam will be conducted in the form of Multiple Choice
Question with Essay/ Discussion Questions. Each exam will include 6 chapters
according to the study period in Section 9 above.
The exam will be closed book exam with no note allowed.