78273 - Agro-Industrial Marketing

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Moduli: Roberta Spadoni (Modulo Mod 1) Maurizio Canavari (Modulo Mod 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo Mod 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo Mod 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Marketing and Economics of the agro-industrial system (cod. 8526)

Learning outcomes

The student will be able to understand the basics of the marketing concept of strategic and operational marketing to know the "true" nature and purpose of marketing. This will include the fundamental role that the client/consumer has in business decisions; the student will acquire the fundamentals of strategies and competitive practices in the processes of marketing and promotion of agri-food products.

The student is able to understand the role of marketing research, masters the basic concepts and knows the types of research approaches and methods. He is able to participate in setting up qualitative and quantitative research and knows the basic techniques for primary and secondary data collection and processing.

Course contents

For this course the student should have a good preparation in the fundamentals of economics, economics of markets, the administration and management of the company, statistic. Such knowledge is acquired through the teachings offered in the study course.

Teaching program

1. The definition, foundations and evolution of the agri-food marketing (total teaching unit: 7 hours)

1.1. The Marketing Concept and definition of marketing (3 hours)

1.2. The Fundamentals of Marketing (4 hours)

Acquired skills in Unit 1

The student will be able to:

a) know the correct socio-economic approach to with regard to the areas covered in the course

b)know the specificity and the role of marketing in the food system

c) Understand the importance of definition and needs analysis

2. Marketing planning and the definition of strategies (total teaching unit: 18 hours)

2.1. Strategic Planning

2.2. Analysis of the portfolio of assets

2.3. Definitions of targets

2.4. Differentiation and positioning

2.5. Strategic Plan

Acquired skills in Unit 2

The student will be able to:

a) know the basis for the strategic marketing planning

b) Understand and knows how to apply the main models for making choices of marketing strategies

c) propose the theoretical path for the definition of a strategic plan

3. The marketing mix and controls (total teaching unit: 11 hours)

3.1. The operating levers of marketing (7 hours)

3.2. The controls (2 hours)

Acquired skills in Unit 3

The student will be able to:

a) know the main levers of operational marketing that allow to address the choices relating to products, pricing, distribution and communication. And also to know how to set the various parts making up a marketing plan

b) know the steps distinguishing the life cycle of the products and the possible associated policies

c) be familiar with the main tools and indicators for the strategic and operating control

4. Marketing research as part of the marketing information system (2 hours)

4.1. Role of knowledge and information in the marketing planning process

4.2. Structure of the MIS

4.3. Marketing research and business strategy

Competences acquired with unit 4

a) knows the scope for application of marketing research

b) understands the usefulness of marketing research

5. Subjects, processes and types of marketing research (4 hours)

5.1. Planning process in marketing research

5.2. Cost and benefit evaluation of marketing research

Competences acquired with unit 5

a) knows the right approach to research planning

b) is able to make decisions on whether to start a marketing research

6. Qualitative research (3 hours)

6.1. Focus group

6.2. Individual in-depth interviews

6.3. Delphi Method

6.4. Observation methods

6.5. Data analysis with qualitative methods

Competences acquired with unit 6

a) knows the main qualitative research techniques

b) knows usefulness and limits of qualitative research

c) is able to interpret the results of qualitative research

7. Quantitative reseach (9 hours)

7.1. Types of quantitative data

7.2. Quantitative data collection methods

7.3. Elements of sampling

7.4. Main statistical data analysis techniques for quantitative marketing data: univariate, bivariate, multivariate analysis

7.5. Example of a quantitative method: conjoint analysis

7.6. Example of a quantitative method: cluster analysis


Competences acquired with unit 7

a) knows the main quantitative analysis techniques

b) knows usefulness and limits of quantitative research

c) is able to interpret the results of a quantitative research performed using the main statistical methods

8. Practical application and Seminars (total units 36 hours)

Exercises are organized and jointly carried out by the two module of the course in view of the strong integration among the covered topics

8.1.Teamwork to develop a marketing plan

8.2. Seminars held by professionals and participation in workshops consistent with the topics the course

Skills acquired 5 units

The student will be able to:

a) have correct analysis approach to strategic problems in agro-industrial enterprises

b) Acquire and master the variables affecting business decisions with specific regard to the marketing ambit.

Readings/Bibliography

During and at the end of the course the lecturer will make available to students additional teaching material in electronic format as a supplement of lectures and course materials listed above.some specific files (in electronic format) which will supplement the notes taken during the lectures.

For further bibliographical deepening we recommend the following references:

1. Kerin R. A., Hartley S.W., Berkowitz E.N., Rudelius W. (2012), Marketing, a cura di Pellegrini L., McGraw-Hill

2. Antonelli G. (a cura di) (2004), Marketing agroalimentare, FrancoAngeli

3. Luca Molteni, Gabriele Troilo (2012). Ricerche di marketing. Metodologie e tecniche per le decisioni strategiche e operative, EGEA, Milano, ISBN 9788823833715 (cap. 1-10)

Further readings to deepen the knowledge of specific topics:

  1. - Blair, J., Czaja, R. F., & Blair, E. A. (2013). Designing Surveys. A Guide to Decisions and Procedures (3rd ed., p. 440). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Students who wish to make the oral exam in English can use the following textbook:

  •  Jim Blythe, Jane Martin (2016) Essentials of Marketing, 6/E, Pearson
  • Malhotra, Naresh K & Birks, David F. & Wills, Peter A. (2013), Essentials of Marketing Research, Pearson,

Teaching methods

The course is divided into eight teaching units of which the first seven are theoretical and consist of lectures. During lectures there will be a close interaction between the teacher and the classroom. Lessons are planned in order to stimulate interest and critical analysis by students through the presentation of case studies. The exercises require the direct involvement of the students who will be able to deal with the dynamics of group work and presentation of the results. The seminars, held by operators of the agro-industrial business, will allow the student to deal with the language of such specific working world.

Assessment methods

Therefore, the evaluation of the course takes into account jointly the level of knowledge and skills acquired by the student in relation to the contents of the teachings.

The knowledge and skills taught in this course are evaluated in:

- an oral examination (lasting approximately 45 minutes) to assess the learning of the topics covered in the course.

Students who wish to make the exam in English are allowed to do so if they request it at least one week in advance.

Teaching tools

Whiteboard, projector, computer, internet access. All lessons are carried out with the support of slides

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Spadoni

See the website of Maurizio Canavari

SDGs

Zero hunger Industry, innovation and infrastructure Responsible consumption and production

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.