Syllabus

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students understand how markets, marketing, and consumer behavior are both influenced by and shape social structures and systems. Students are able to recognize various ethical dilemmas that may arise in everyday consumer behavior and marketing practice, and are able to critically reflect on the marketing activities of corporate, public, political, and non-governmental organizations. Students understand how marketing principles can be used outside the domain of commerce to foster individual and societal wellbeing. Students are able to apply the above knowledge when developing marketing strategies and engaging in marketing activities, helping their organization create equitable relationships with clients, customers, and society.

Credits: 6

Schedule: 25.04.2023 - 08.06.2023

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Alexei Gloukhovtsev

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

Course Instructor: Assistant Professor Alexei Gloukhovtsev
Email: firstname.lastname@aalto.fi

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Most marketing courses focus on providing managerially relevant skills and insights, leaving little room for discussing the broader societal implications of marketing practice and consumer behavior. This course foregrounds these implications. The goal of the course is to examine the many taken-for-granted assumptions that underpin mainstream marketing theory and practice. We will cover topics such as the history of marketing thought, the role of regulations in the marketplace, marketplace access, and the implicit politics of sustainable and social marketing.

• applies in this implementation

  This course considers the relationship between marketing and society. Most marketing courses focus on providing managerially-relevant skills and insights, leaving little room for discussing the broader societal implications of marketing and consumer behavior. This course foregrounds these implications, affording us the opportunity to examine marketers’ impact on society and explore a range of current issues and criticisms facing marketing. We will critically examine the many taken-for-granted assumptions that underpin mainstream marketing theory and practice, discuss the role of ethics in marketing, and debate the responsibility of marketers to society and the case for and against marketing regulations. Ultimately, the goal for the course to help you:

  •    Understand how markets, marketing, and consumer behavior are both influenced by and shape social structures and systems.
  •    Recognize various ethical dilemmas that may arise in everyday consumer behavior and marketing practice.
  •    Critically reflect on the marketing activities of corporate, public, political, and non-governmental organizations.
  •    Understand how marketing principles can be used outside the domain of commerce to foster individual and societal wellbeing.
  •    Able to apply the above knowledge when developing marketing strategies and engaging in marketing activities, thus helping your organization create equitable relationships with its clients, customers, and society.
  
  

  
  

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  The course grade will be based on individual and group assignments, and also influenced by active course participation in and outside of class.

• applies in this implementation

  Your grade for the course will be based on a system of evaluation called contract or labor-based grading. In short, there is a prespecified amount of work that you need to do to earn a particular course grade. At the start of the course, you decide how much effort you’re willing and able to put into the course, and sign up for the corresponding grade. At the end of the course, there are no surprises: if you have fulfilled the requisite obligations, you get the grade you signed up for. Details on the amount of work required for each grade will be posted closer to the course start date. However, students looking for a 5 should expect to attend and actively participate in all lectures, complete individual assignments based on assigned readings (usually 1-2 academic articles per lecture), as well as complete 3-4 larger assignments throughout the course.
  

Workload

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  6 credits, 160 hours: Lectures (24 h) Independent reading and reflection, online interaction outside of class, individual and group assignments (136 h)

• applies in this implementation

  Note that the above workload (160 hours) corresponds to roughly 22 hours per week during a 7-week course. Especially those students who are pursuing a grade of 5 should plan their weekly schedules accordingly.

  
  

  
  

DETAILS

Study Material

• applies in this implementation

  The course material comprises articles assigned by the instructor. There is no course book.
  

Substitutes for Courses

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Substitutes for Courses

Prerequisites

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Prerequisites

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Teaching Language : English

  Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Spring V
  2023-2024 Spring V

  Enrollment :

  The number of students admitted to the course is restricted to 60.

  Registered students will be prioritized in the following order: (1) Aalto MSc students studying in the Marketing program, (2) Aalto BSc studying in the Specialization of Marketing with 150 cr competed, (3) BIZ exchange students, (4) other BIZ students

Description