96554 - Agro-Industrail Marketing

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

Educational prerequisites

For this course, the student must have a good grounding in the fundamentals of economics, market economics and business administration and management, as well as basic statistics. This knowledge is acquired through the teachings provided in the course of study.

Teaching programme: Module 1 (units 1-3), module 2 (units 4-7); Exercises (unit 8)

Unit 1 - The definition, fundamentals and evolution of agri-food marketing (total teaching unit: 7 hours)

1.1.The Marketing Concept and the Definition of Marketing (3 hours)

1.1.1.Presentation of the teaching and connection with the other subjects of the course

1.1.2. Basic definitions (products and services, planning, SBUs). Key words of marketing definitions and the role of the marketing function within the enterprise.

o 1.1.3.Specificities of food marketing

1.2. The fundamentals of marketing (4 hours)

o 1.2.1. Definition and characteristics of strategic marketing

o 1.2.2. Definition and characteristics of operational marketing

o 1.2.3. Evolution of the marketing concept over time

o 1.2.4. Definition of Relationship Marketing

o 1.2.5. B2B marketing

o 1.2.6.Customer loyalty and protection of consumer rights

Acquired competences unit 1

1. The correct socio-economic approach to the areas covered in the course is known

2. Understands the specificity and role of marketing in the agri-food system

Unit 2 - Marketing Planning and Strategy Development (total teaching unit: 18 hours)

2.1.Strategic approach and macro and micro analysis (6 hours)

o 2.1.1. Levels of application

o 2.1.2.Vision and mission

o 2.1.3.The macrosegmentation (Abell's model)

o 2.1.4.The objectives

o 2.1.5.The strategies

o 2.1.6.SWOT Analysis

o 2.1.7.Internal environment analysis

o 2.1.8.Distinctive competences, competitive advantage

2.2.Analysis of the business portfolio and growth strategies (4 hours)

o 2.2.1.Attractiveness: definition and indices (market growth rate, development index)

o 2.2.2.Competitiveness: definition and indices (market share and its components)

o 2.2.3. BCG, GE and performance/importance matrices

o 2.2.4.Growth strategies

2.3. Differentiation and positioning. Brand positioning (2 hours)

2.4.The ethical dimension of marketing (1 hour)

2.5. Target definitions (5 hours)

o 2.5.1.Buying process and factors influencing it

o 2.5.2. Heuristics and cognitive biases

o 2.5.3. Microsegmentation: typology and models

Skills Acquired Unit 2

1. The basics of strategic marketing planning are known

2. Understands and is able to apply the main models for making marketing strategy choices

3. Is able to propose the theoretical path for the definition of a strategic plan

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

 3.1.The operational levers of marketing (9 hrs)

 3.1.1.Product/Consumer policies

 3.1.1.2.Price/Cost policies

 3.1.1.3.Distribution/Convenience Policies

 3.1.1.4.Promotion/Communication Policies

 3.1.1.5.The Product Life Cycle

 3.1.1.6.Marketing Plans

 3.2.Controls (2 hours)

 3.2.1.Strategic Controls

 3.2.2.Efficiency controls

 3.2.3.Profitability/profitability controls

 3.2.4.Controls of marketing actions

Competences acquired Unit 3

1. The main operational marketing levers are known, which allow to direct the choices regarding products, prices, distribution and communication, and the parts of a marketing plan are known.

2. Knows the phases that distinguish the product life cycle and the possible policies associated to them

3. Knowledge of the main tools and indices for strategic and operational control

Unit 4. Marketing research within the marketing information system: Subjects, processes and typology (total teaching unit: 6 hours)

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

o 4.2. Structure of the marketing information system

o 4.3. Marketing research and business strategy definition

o 4.4. Planning process in marketing research

o 4.5. Assessing the costs and benefits of a marketing research

Acquired competences unit 4

1. Knowledge of the application context of marketing research

2. Understands the usefulness of marketing research

3. Knows the correct approach to the design of research activities

4. Is able to make decisions on the initiation of marketing research

Unit 5. Qualitative research (total teaching unit:6 hrs)

o 5.1. Focus groups

o 5.2. Individual interviews

o 5.3. Delphi method

o 5.4. Observation methods

o 5.5. Analysis of collected data with qualitative methods

Skills Acquired Unit 5

1. Knowledge of the main techniques of qualitative analysis

2. The usefulness and limits of qualitative research in the context of specific information needs are known

3. Is able to interpret the results of qualitative research

Unit 6. Quantitative research (total teaching unit: 12 hours)

o 6.1.Types of quantitative data

o 6.2. Quantitative data collection techniques

o 6.3. Notes on sampling

o 6.4. Application of the main statistical techniques to quantitative marketing data processing: univariate, bivariate, multivariate analyses

Skills Acquired Unit 6

1. Knowledge of the main techniques of quantitative analysis

2. The usefulness and limits of quantitative research in the context of specific information needs are known

3. Is able to interpret the results of quantitative research using basic statistical techniques

Unit 7. Techniques for quantitative research (total teaching unit: 6 hours)

o 7.1. Example of a quantitative technique: conjoint analysis

o 7.2. Example of quantitative technique: experimental auctions

Skills acquired Unit 7

1. Is able to interpret the results of research based on conjoint analysis and experimental auctions

Unit 8. Practical Application Exercises and Seminars (total unit 44 hours)

The exercises are organised and carried out jointly by the two modules in view of the strong integration of the topics covered.

o 8.1. Group work to define the setting up of a marketing plan with related marketing research.

o 8.2. Study seminars held by practitioners and participation in workshops consistent with the topics developed in the course

o 8.3. Design, distribution and analysis of a survey

Skills acquired Unit 8

1. Correct analysis approach to problems of a strategic nature within agro-industrial enterprises

2. Acquisition and mastery of the variables affecting entrepreneurial choices regarding marketing aspects

3. Ability to produce a document for setting up a marketing plan

4. Ability to design a questionnaire, carry out data collection and perform data analysis using basic statistical techniques

Readings/Bibliography

During (module 1) and at the end (module 2) of the course, the lecturers will provide students with specific teaching materials (in electronic and printed format) that supplement the notes taken during the lectures.

Reference texts

Modulo 1

1. Kerin R. A., Hartley S.W.,(et al.) (III ed. 2014; IV ed. 2020),Marketing, McGraw-Hill

1. Lambin J.J. (2021) Marketing-driven management, McGraw-Hill

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

1. Kotler P. (2017), Marketing 4.0, Hoepli

Modulo 2

1. Francesca Bassi (2008). Analisi di mercato. Strumenti statistici per le decisioni di marketing, Carocci, Roma, 2008, ISBN 9788843044276

For more information on questionnaire design and advanced techniques:

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.

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

For students intending to take the examination in English, the following texts (for modules 1 and 2 respectively) are recommended:

1. Jim Blythe, Jane Martin (2016) Essentials of Marketing, 6/E, Pearson

1. Malhotra, Naresh K & Birks, David F. & Wills, Peter A. (2013), Essentials of Marketing Research, Pearson, ISBN: 978-027372433

Teaching methods

The teaching is divided into 8 teaching units, the first 7 of which are theoretical and consist of lectures. The lectures involve close interaction between the lecturer and the classroom and are organised in such a way as to stimulate interest and critical analysis on the part of the students, also through the presentation of real cases. The exercises involve the direct involvement of the students, who will have the opportunity to confront themselves with the use of specific software. The seminars, held by operators in the sector, allow the students to confront themselves with the language and presentation methods of the operational world.

"In view of the type of activity and teaching methods adopted, the attendance of this training activity requires the prior participation of all students in modules 1 and 2 of training on safety in the workplace, [https://elearning-sicurezza.unibo.it/] in e-learning mode.

Assessment methods

The knowledge and skills imparted by this teaching are assessed as follows:

- for the first roll call after the end of the lectures, the examination will be held in presence only, in written mode, with a test comprising 40-50 closed-ended and 3-4 open-ended questions. Please note that group work will be assessed with an additional mark on the written exam grade and a maximum of 2 points for the group presenting the best group work. The duration of the examination will be approximately 75 minutes. The examination aims to test the expected learning of the topics covered in the course.

- For the other examinations, the examination will be oral (approximate duration 40 minutes) to test the expected learning of the topics covered in the course. There will be 3-4 questions for module 1 and 1-2 questions for module 2. Please note that group work will be assessed with an additional mark on the oral examination grade and a maximum of 2 points for the group presenting the best group work.

The aim of the assessment is to ascertain the level of knowledge achieved of the concepts and tools covered in the syllabus and the ability to link the topics and apply them to market reality.

Students wishing to take the exam in English must request it from the lecturer at least one week before the exam.

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