We need to assign certain parts to different members of the group.
I will assume that I will be the team leader, and then the other 2 can be divided between everyone else.
Please let me know who wants to be responsible for what part of the paper.
- Research
Read pages 43-59 in Appendix A of the Kerin, Hartley, and Rudelius text. It provides a definition of a marketing plan and its sections. - Discussion
Meet in teams throughout the term to develop a marketing plan. Sections of the marketing plan are defined in the "Capstone Assessment" section of the syllabus. When developing the marketing plan, each group member will assume one of four managerial roles. Your instructor will determine how you are placed into your role (either through self-selection or by instructor assignment.) The job descriptions for each role are as follows: - General Manager/Team Leader:
This person is ultimately accountable for managing group meetings and members. S/he will keep minutes of each team meeting. In addition, the General Manager/Team Leader is primarily responsible for writing the Executive Summary, Description of Company and Strategic Plan/Focus sections of the marketing plan. - Marketing Manager:
This person is primarily responsible for supervising and writing-up the Situation Analysis, Organization Structure, and the Marketing Program Strategies and Tactics sections of the marketing plan. Product Manager: This person is responsible for explaining the features and benefits of the product/service. This includes a description of how the product/service will be manufactured/produced, and its feasibility for use by the end user. The product manager also explains the distribution strategy. Primary sections of the marketing plan for which this individual are the Market-Product Focus, R&D and Operations Programs, and the Implementation Plan. - Finance Manager:
This person is primarily responsible for formulating the pricing strategy, which includes a cost analysis. S/he is also responsible for preparing the pro-forma financial statements. Primary sections of the marketing plan for which this individual is responsible include Financial Projections, and Evaluation and Control.
While each manager has his or her primary responsibilities for specific sections of the report, it is important to understand that all team members are responsible for the whole report. Strive for continuity and integration. In 3-person groups, each manager will provide financial information on their areas to the Team Leader, who will pull this together. Financial implications for teams of 3 are not expected to be as thorough as for those teams with 4 members. Whenever possible, 4-person teams will be formed. Determining the optimal number of team members is at the faculty member's discretion. The faculty member also is empowered to make adjustments to roles as they see fit. - Assessment
See Figure A-1 on page 45 for an outline of the marketing plan. A sample marketing plan is provided on pages 46-59. Your paper should be in APA format.
