B5144 - BUSINESS STRATEGY AND MARKETING

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the dominant theories in business strategy and marketing. Successful students are expected to become familiar with the main concepts of strategy and marketing, recognizing their applications in real-life situations and engaging in critical reflection on how companies and enterprises conduct their business operations and define and pursue their goals. Additionally, the course will introduce students to the principles and practices involved in effectively navigating challenges faced by large and small firms, encompassing strategic planning and sustainable development. By the end of the course, students will also be able to understand and use the main variables, theories, and basic applications in marketing management and the utilization of marketing tools, with particular reference to place and city branding.

Course contents

The course consists of two modules. In module 1 (taught by Dr. Judit Zoltan), the students will gain basic knowledge of the dominant theories in business strategy and marketing.

Module 2 is separated for the two tracks of the study programme.

- TRACK TOURISM AND LEISURE INDUSTRIES: Destination management, taught by Prof Marcello Mariani.

- TRACK SMART CITIES AND URBAN ECONOMY: Marketing, taught by Prof. Massimo Giovanardi.

Module 1 Business Strategy (Dr. J. Zoltan)

1) Introduction to strategy

2) Strategic analysis

3) Strategic direction and methods

5) Marketing strategies

 

Module 2 Destination Mangement (Prof. M. Mariani)

1) Tourism destinations and markets: facts, figures, relevant phenomena and ongoing trends

2) Concepts and definitions of destination management and marketing

3) Destination Management Organizations (DMOs)

4) Destination competitiveness

5) Destination planning and destination marketing planning

6) Destination Management research

7) Destination Product Development and staging tourism experiences

8) Destination branding

9) Destination Integrated Marketing Communications

10) Destination Information and Communication Technologies

 

Module 2: Marketing (Prof. M. Giovanardi)

This module explores the main challenges that characterise the realm of city management and marketing, with the goal of empowering participants in the task to plan and design meaningful strategies for sustainable urban development. In particular, the modules contextualises the knowledge provided by module 1 by discussing the best practices of large- and medium-sized cities that standed out in terms of attraction and retention of visitors, businesses, citizens and 'talent' in general, with a particular focus on city brand management. Notably, this module assists participants in analysing the complexity inherent in city management, as well as in determining the right city marketing mix in relation to the specific goals and territorial characteristics gauged by city managers.

Readings/Bibliography

For Module 1 - Business Strategy:

Tribe, J. (2016). Strategy for Tourism (2nd ed.). Goodfellow Publishers Ltd.

Daum, C. (2020). Business strategy essentials you always wanted to know. Vibrant Publishers.

References to journal articles will be provided with the lecture notes.

 

For Module 2 - Destination Management:

Crouch, G. I., & Ritchie, J. B. (1999). Tourism, competitiveness, and societal prosperity. Journal of Business Research, 44(3), 137-152.

Mariani, M. M., Buhalis, D., Longhi, C., & Vitouladiti, O. (2014). Managing change in tourism destinations: Key issues and current trends. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 2(4), 269-272.

Mariani, M. M., Di Felice, M., & Mura, M. (2016). Facebook as a destination marketing tool: Evidence from Italian regional Destination Management Organizations. Tourism Management, 54, 321-343.

Morrison, A. (2013) Marketing and Managing Tourism Destinations. London: Routledge.

Pine, J. & Gilmore, J.H. (1998). Welcome to the Experience Economy. Harvard Business Review, July-August 1998.

 

For Module 2 - Marketing:

Giovanardi, et al. (2018). Critical perspectives on place marketing. In The Routledge Companion to Critical Marketing (pp. 115-134). Routledge.

Boisen et al. (2018). Reframing place promotion, place marketing, and place branding-moving beyond conceptual confusion. Cities, 80, 4-11

Kavaratzis, M. (2004). From city marketing to city branding: Towards a theoretical framework for developing city brands. Place branding, 1(1), 58-73

Bonakdar, A., & Audirac, I. (2020). City branding and the link to urban planning: Theories, practices, and challenges. Journal of Planning Literature, 35(2), 147-160.

Giovanardi, M. (2022). DESTINATIONS: Songs for place and tourism management. Mimesis.

Kavaratzis, M., & Ashworth, G. J. (2007). Partners in coffeeshops, canals and commerce: Marketing the city of Amsterdam. Cities, 24(1), 16-25

Kalandides, A., & Grésillon, B. (2021). The ambiguities of “sustainable” Berlin. Sustainability, 13(4), 1666.

Additional readings on selected case studies will be communicated by the lecturer in due course

Teaching methods

Lectures, in-class exercises and group works.

Assessment methods

The final mark is based on an individual written exam for each Module.

The final mark is the average of the mark for Module 1 and the mark for Module 2.

The use of AI chatbots is not permitted during the exam.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities.It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the professor, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

All materials can be found on https://virtuale.unibo.it/

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Giovanardi

See the website of Judit Zoltan