West Texas A&M University

College of Business

 

MKT 3346 Course Syllabus

Course Number/Section/Name: MKT3346_70_Personal Selling. Selling, negotiating, and sales promotion as related to both the new enterprise and on-going firm. Promotional strategies especially appropriate for the smaller firm where uniqueness of promotional tools is more critical than in the larger firm that has a much larger promotional budget.


Class Days/Times/Location or Other Format: Online and/or Hybrid
Professor: Dr. De'Arno De'Armond
Office Location: Classroom Center 214C
Office Hours: I will be available before and after class, during normal office hours, and by appointment, schedule permitting
Office Phone: 806.651.2490
E-Mail: ddearmond@wtamu.edu and via WTClass email (preferred method of contact)

Faculty Homepage: Click here.
Blog: http://www.drdearmond.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DrDeArmond

Last Updated: 24 June 2009. This syllabus is a dynamic document. Elements of the course structure (e.g., dates and topics covered, but not policies) may be changed at the discretion of the professor.

Important Notice

This syllabus is an integral component of the course. It is very important that you read it in its entirety. All material that you will need for this class, including lectures, exams and project material are only accessible via WTClass.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter.

COB Mission Statement

The mission of the College of Business is to provide high quality undergraduate and graduate business education with a global perspective and ethical awareness. We accomplish this through emphasis on excellence in teaching, which is strengthened by faculty scholarship and supported by professional service.

COB Learning Goals

Learning Goals of the BBA Program

The College of Business at West Texas A&M University seeks to prepare students in the BBA degree program for careers in business and to foster their professional growth and advancement via the key learning goals. Each learning goal is accompanied by an operational definition for the goal.

  • Graduates of the BBA program will be effective communicators.
  • Graduates of the BBA program will be critical thinkers.
  • Graduates of the BBA program will be knowledgeable of ethical, global, and social environmental factors and how they relate to business decisions.
  • Graduates of the BBA program will be knowledgeable in the functional areas of business and their integration.

Learning Goals for the MBA Program

The College of Business at West Texas A&M University seeks to prepare students in the MBA degree program for careers in business and to foster their professional growth and advancement via the key learning goals. The key learning goals for the MBA are as follows:

  • MBA graduates will demonstrate a capacity to lead organizations.
  • MBA graduates will illustrate a capacity to apply knowledge in new and unfamiliar circumstances through a conceptual understanding of relevant disciplines.
  • MBA graduates will demonstrate a capacity to adapt and innovate to solve problems, to cope with unforeseen events, and to manage in unpredictable environments.
  • MBA graduates with a concentration area will illustrate the ability to apply discipline-specific fundamentals in Computer Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Agricultural Business, or Healthcare Management.

Course Description:

Marketing 3346 takes an in-depth look at one of the most important aspects of the Marketing Mix—Promotion—more specifically Personal Selling. Effective selling, negotiating and sales promotion strategies, as related to both the new enterprise and the on-going firm, are important “tools” capable of creating individual competitive advantage in the marketplace. The focus of our semester will be on key promotional strategies especially appropriate for the smaller firm--where uniqueness of promotional tools is more critical than in the larger firm that has a much larger promotional budget.

Text:

Charles M. Futrell, Fundamentals of Selling: Customers for Life Through Service, 9th Edition, Burr Ridge, Illinois: Irwin/McGraw-Hill Publishers, 2006.

Hardcover, 658 pages
©2006, ISBN 0-07-296210-0

Visit the online student center: http://www.mhhe.com/futtrell06

Course Objectives and Map from COB Learning Goals to Objectives for this course:

The basic objectives for this course are:
  • Students will gain an understanding of personal selling as a major function within the marketing and promotional mix of a firm.
    • COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication, The Business Environment, Functional Business Knowledge
  • Improvement of your communication and information handling abilities.
    • COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication
  • Familiarization with the principles of selling.
    • COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication, The Business Environment, Functional Business Knowledge
  • Preparation for the presentation of a sales presentation by visually, verbally, and nonverbally communicating your information using the selling skills discussed in class and in your textbook.
    • COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication, The Business Environment, Functional Business Knowledge
  • Providing the student an opportunity to form a necessary link to the community in an effort to analyze the “pros and cons” of a career in sales through semester activities and or projects.
    • COB Learning Goals and Objectives: Critical Thinking, Communication

Course Flow and Method:

This course is being taught either online or as a hybrid course, meaning the student should utilize a program of self study and self discipline to be successful within the course, whether taking online or in class. Not every concept can be covered within the time allotted for regular lecture. The student is expected to spend time outside of the course reviewing course content and materials provided within the online format and other sources to gain mastery of the subject.

WTClass is a working environment that you should become familiar with. Of particular importance to this course are the Lesson, Calendar, and Communicate tabs found within WTClass. Each Lesson (found in the "Lessons" area of WTClass) of this course contains at least one chapter and will be activated in a timely manner with the flow of content respectively. Each lesson content area consists of four distinct areas, Launch-Intro, Lecture, Learning Activities and Wrap-Up.

Additionally, the site contains a wealth of tools (Communication, Calendar) made available from the WTClass Class Container. You should familiarize yourself with the WTClass environment relative to this course. If you happen to find a broken link or an error, do not panic, just let me know via course mail and I will repair it ASAP!

News: This general page area will serve to provide you with up to the minute 'real world' news about marketing, marketing research, advertising, and business. One of the principle foundations a student of personal selling needs is access to news feeds. In an effort to save your time, I have tailored this page to provide a news-feed directly to this site regarding marketing topics.

Launch-Intro: This area will introduce the chapter material of the lesson as well as provide an interlude into lecture. Basically this area will serve as a synopsis of the chapter.

Lecture: This area discusses some of the salient points of the lesson material, it may include notes, presentations or other material that will aide in your understanding of the content. Lecture in no way is intended to be the only source of material you should utilize for an exam, but, used in conjunction with the text and other supplements can increase your overall understanding of the material and it's applied practicality. I have worked very hard to "tool" this area with my lecture notes, reinforcing text material via incorporation of practical examples, discussion questions, and presentations. Basically at your disposal you have the actual notes I use in class, in Adobe PDF format, and the Power point presentation I would give in a "classroom" setting that coincides with the notes. It is a good idea to make sure your computer is loaded with Adobe Acrobat's Free Reader Program, as well as at least the Power point viewer. Both are free downloads available at the following links:

Learning Activities: This section will contain assignments and activities throughout the lessons requiring your involvement. The appropriate due dates of each Learning Activity are posted within the Calendar area of WTClass for this course. The purpose of this area is to provide you an opportunity to interact with the material, your classmates, or your instructor, in the form of an activity or apply and integrate the material at a higher level in an assignment. Any assignment is assumed to be of a critical thinking nature, thus, serious time, thought, and effort should be put into your response efforts. More on this below.

Wrap-Up: This section of the lesson site serves as my final comments area on the topic, and any other information I feel relevant to the lesson.

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Course Structure and Weighting:

Major Exams
60%
Assignments (Extended Learning Activities)
30%

Learning Activities (Active Class Participation)

10%
Total
100%

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Course Element Descriptions:

Textbook material: The textbook is divided into multiple chapter segments to be covered during the semester. Students are expected to stay current on textbook content. Lecture will focus on the more salient aspects of the textbook material.

Major Exams: You will have the opportunity to prove your competence of marketing research on three individual examinations. The Major Exams will consist of multiple choice questions, but are not limited to true false, definition and essay. Exams will be administered via the WTClass information portal and can be found within the lessons tab. Exams will be available for a minimum of one entire week, timed (you will have 1hr 30min) and tracked through WTClass.

I understand what it is like to have test anxiety. For this course, you will be allowed (not required) to take each of the three major exams twice (different exams each time of course), with the highest score of the two exam attempts reporting to the grade book. I am very flexible, however, NO Make-up exams will be allowed, you will have until 11:59 PM to complete the exam on the last day of the exam testing period displayed within the course calendar. Please do not wait until the last minute to take your exam.

MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE you are taking the exam from a dedicated, uninterruptible Internet connection. If you are in an area that has experienced connectivity or technology problems, you may wish to take the exam from a more secure location. Please note, if you are timed out or disconnected from an exam, first of all, do not panic, remember, you still have 2 attempts at each exam. More than likely the error is something that can easily be rectified. It is your responsibility to contact me via email immediately to make record of this event. I will not tolerate "restarts" on exams. Please note, it is expected that each individual will complete his or her examination without the aide of outside individuals in an effort to maintain academic integrity.

Major Exam Dates
Schedule
Exam I, lessons 1-6, Chapters 1-6 Consult the course calendar for exam testing week.
Exam II, lessons 7-10, Chapters 7-10 Consult the course calendar for exam testing week.
Exam III, lessons 11-14, Chapters 11-14 Consult the course calendar for exam testing week.
Please note, exams are live from 12:01 AM of the first day through 11:59 PM of the last day. Please plan accordingly.

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Additional Notes on Learning Activities: At the end of selected lessons you will have an associated learning activity. The learning activities serve to enhance your interaction with the class, and are in no way intended to serve as "busy work." Please note, not every lesson contains a learning activity. Learning Activities may be divided into the following:

  • Regular Learning Activity (non extended): You can think of this level of activity as an active class participation. These usually consist of answering a few questions or posting a response to the discussion forum, see below.
    • Discussion Forum Postings: From time to time the activity may require you to post your thoughts to the discussion forum. Make sure you are familiar with how the discussion forum operates. PLEASE keep all discussion forum postings within the same thread for proper credit for your work.
    • Survey Topics: From time to time a learning activity may include using a response to a survey.
  • Extended Learning Activity Assignments: Throughout the semester you will have a minimum of three "extended" learning assignments (ELA's). Each extended learning activity should be considered an individual work. The extended assignment is your opportunity to showcase your understanding of multiple lessons covered in this course. An extended learning activity assignment will be clearly labeled inside the learning activities area of the particular lesson covered.
  • Service Learning Opportunity Information: From time to time, your class may have an opportunity to complete "service learning projects" whereby you as an individual or a team work with a live client to solve business problems in an effort to gain 'working world' experience. Service learning opportunities are not additional work, rather, replace the 40% Learning Activities. In the event of a service learning opportunity, you will be notified within the first few days of class so that you may plan accordingly.
  • Special Note: All assignments and submission due dates given on the calendar are the responsibility of the student, please plan accordingly. The calendar feature of the WTClass infrastructure is a great way to plan upcoming important course dates, you may wish to find out more about this feature via the Online Tutorial or a WTClass technical support staff member. The best advice is to plan a few days, or even a week ahead with regard to exams and learning activities. I WILL NOT TOLERATE A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL TIME ON ASSIGNMENTS OR EXAMS, DO NOT EVEN ASK! In my courses, you are given ample time in advance for planning the completion of assignments and exams (sometimes weeks in advance), do not make excuses....plan accordingly, plan ahead!!
  • All assignments and learning activities will be administered through WTClass(usually the activities and assignments will exist in the format of an online submission drop box). All associated files utilized within the course should be in either Microsoft Word .doc, or .docx format or .rtf format if from another program. It is the student's responsibility to ensure associated files are complete, and compatible, and submitted before due dates expire.
    • Assignment due dates will clearly be labeled, if for example you have an assignment due on Thursday September 2nd, that means you have until 11:59PM on September 2nd to send it as called for in the directions.
    • Assignments must be sent via the Online Container in the method specified with the assignment. You must follow the assignment submission method requirements for proper credit for your work.
    • I will not accept assignments sent to my faculty WTAMU FACULTY or WTClass Course email accounts, unless I otherwise specify under certain conditions

Grading:

Grading Standards for Assignments

Your work will be assessed in the following manner:

A –Level Work
(Excellent)
(1) Responds fully to what the assignment asks; (2) Presents a manifest topic statement containing the issue to be analyzed and the position to be taken; (3) Exercises good critical thinking that is clear, logical (coherent & relevant), deep, broad, and discriminating; (4) Expresses its purpose clearly and persuasively; (5) Invokes and uses disciplinary facts correctly; (6) Provides adequate supporting arguments with reasons, evidence, and examples; (7) Is focused, well organized, and unified; (8) Uses direct language that is appropriate for the audience; (9) Invokes discerning sources when appropriate; (10) Correctly documents and cites sources via APA standards; (11) Is free of errors in grammar, punctuation, word choice, spelling, and format; and (12) Displays originality and creativity in realizing items (1) through (9) above.
B—Level Work
(Very Good)
Realizes high quality in (1) through (11) fully and completely ---but does not reveal originality or creativity.
C—Level Work
(Adequate)
Realizes adequacy in (1) through (11) and demonstrates overall competence --- but contains a few relatively minor errors or flaws. A “C” paper may show great creativity and originality, but those qualities don’t compensate for poor or careless writing. A “C” paper is adequate in all regards but could use polish and usually looks and reads like a next-to-final draft.
D—Level Work
(Weak)
Fails to recognize some elements of (1) through (11) adequately and contains several relatively serious errors or flaws or many minor ones. A “D” paper is less than adequate for public presentation and often looks and reads like a first or second draft.
F—Level Work
(Poor)
Fails to realize several elements of (1) through (11) adequately and contains many serious errors or flaws as well as many minor ones. An “F” paper usually contains fatal errors of thought or execution and usually looks and reads like a private writing.

 

Grading scale utilized within the assessment process:

 

A 90-100
B 80-89
C 70-79
D 60-69
F X-59
      • Grade Book: The grade book is open. You may view the book by clicking on that section under "reports."
      • Ungraded items will appear as zeros until graded. This is normal and is a function of the online grading tool. Do not panic when you see your overall grade is lower than what you expect until all grades are finalized.
      • Please note that the grade book is a real time functional tool that exists to serve as direct feedback to the student regarding their output. Due to the dynamic nature of real time administration of the online grade book, grades are NOT final until the course is finished and grades have been posted to Buff Advisor.

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Special Notes:

WTClass Environment Support: Please note that it is your responsibility to have in place at least the minimum technology required to actively participate in this course. You should spend some time familiarizing yourself with WTClass. There are tutorials available to you and if you encounter problems the WTClass support staff is available to answer your questions. The WT Information Technology Technical Support Center (WT ITSC) is available to you in the event critical after-hours support is needed. You may contact them via email ITSC@wtamu.edu, or at 806-651-4357 and your issue will be handled in a very timely fashion. In the event of a major snafu, please inform me as well. Please use discretion when using WT ITSC Support.

Overall...I want an open, fun, learning environment for you. Get to know the WTClass container and what it can and what it can not do. If technology presents a challenge for you, then you have two options: 1.) Drop now and wait for this course to be offered on campus, or 2.) Step up to the plate and make this a fun experience. You will get out of this course what you put into it!

Email Policy: I PREFER YOU CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL as this is the fastest way to reach me. Email will receive an immediate, timely response, whereas my office phone may not. In an effort to actively manage my courses, and remain engaged with you, my students, email sent to me via WTClass will be forwarded and monitored via my iPhone when inside or away from the office. In this way, I do my best to ensure that no matter where I am, or what meetings I might be involved with, I can respond to your questions and concerns ASAP!

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU WILL NEED TO USE AN IDENTIFYABLE SUBJECT LINE (MKT3346 Question) AND CLOSE YOUR EMAIL WITH YOUR NAME to ensure a proper receipt and response. Spam filters kill blank subject lines and WTClass does not automatically know your name, just a string of code. Help me out with this!

Responses to your WTClass email received on my iPhone will be sent to your "Buffs" email account, and not the WTClass container (this is currently a limitation of the WTClass security environment). To ensure you will receive your email in a timely fashion, here is a suggestion:

As an alternative to checking WTClass email all the time, you can have all email generated through WTClass automatically forwarded to your 'BUFFS' account. To do this click on the bottom icon on the left side of the screen (it looks like a wrench). Select system settings. Near the bottom of that page fill in the section designated for forwarding address. Below that in the drop down box for “Forwarding Mode” select “Forward my course mail and mark as read in course.” Then save it.

NOTE: Again, should you send an email to me through WT Class my response may come back to your regular “Buffs” email address. I will keep a copy of all correspondence in a local folder for verification.

You should also check your email frequently as this is my way to contact you and provide you up to the minute information regarding this course.

Social Grid Policy: I am also putting forth effort to engage my students via Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to add me on Facebook, just let me know who you are and what class you are coming from to ensure you will be added. Feel free to follow me on Twitter, http://twitter.com/DrDeArmond.com. This Twitter link is also found within the Communicate Tab of WTClass.

You can also view the methods to my madness on my blog, http://www.drdearmond.blogspot.com. I use this space to communicate thoughts I may have left our lectures with, or just random things that occur, however, I do my best to put a practical, business framework around my threaded comments.

Please note, it is not my intention to utilize the Social Grid in any negative way with respect to you as an individual. This is merely another way of communicating quick messages to individuals within my courses and engage my students in a professional, social way. I feel it to be very important that my students understand I am a real person just as I understand you are a real person as well. The utilization of the social grid allows for me to understand more about you, and tailor content based on this understanding. This is NOT a required component of the course.

Dropping the course: Should a student decide to drop the course, it is the student's responsibility to be aware of the final drop dates and adhere to the WTAMU Ad/Drop policy. Any student participating in the course after the WTAMU posted drop date, will be considered active and a grade will be administered at the end of the course for that student.

Other final notes: In the words of my great friend, mentor, and colleague, Dr. R. Nicholas Gerlich, I do not believe in "curving" grades. In other words, you get what you deserve. I abide strictly by the grade scale listed in the course syllabus. There will be no free points, no free grade adjustments, no lenience. Period.

I will not tolerate any form of cheating, which can take the form of copying from others during exams, plagiarizing, sharing, etc. For any assignment or exam for which you have cheated you will receive the most severe penalty available under university rules. This will be at minimum a score of 0 for the said exam or assignment.

I will not respond to pleas at semester's end for additional points, extra consideration, etc. If you feel there has been a mistake on my behalf regarding the posting of your grades, you may feel free to contact me, and I will investigate the matter. Under no circumstances, however, will I make adjustments simply for your benefit.

Finally, if you are having difficulty completing the course because of health problems (yours or that of close family members), or other personal matters, it is your responsibility to meet with me to discuss your options.

Terms of Use
A student's continued enrollment in this course signifies acknowledgment of and agreement with the statements, disclaimers, policies, and procedures outlined below and elsewhere in the WTClass container.

College of Business Writing Component (as applicable)
Students earning a BBA degree must complete at least one course with a writing component outside of their major as part of the business core requirements. The College of Business writing component is a requirement in the following courses: ACCT 3311, ACCT 4315, IDM 2310, ECON 4321, ECON 4361, FIN 3350, FIN 4321, MGT 4333, MGT 4370, MKT 3342, MKT 3350. Students in a writing component course are explicitly required to demonstrate knowledge of communication skills. Specific objectives may include but are not limited to the following concepts put forth by the National Business Education Association: (1) ability to organize a written and an oral message coherently and effectively, (2) ability to use technology for communication, (3) ability to research a topic, prepare a report, and present the findings to all organizational levels, and (4) ability to demonstrate critical-thinking skills. Specific course requirements and the role of the writing component with respect to student grading policy are at the discretion of the course instructor of record.

Technology Requirements
All technological requirements for the successful completion of this course are the responsibility of the student, including access to a working computer with broadband internet connection and state-of-the-art security. The student is responsible for all technological problems not related to WTAMU, including but not limited to equipment failures, power outages, and internet breakdowns. Furthermore, students are responsible for all necessary technical and operational skills for completing this course, and for being familiar with WTClass (the Online Learning System) both in a general sense and in a specific sense as pertaining to this course and any materials stored within. The professor is not responsible for any technical matters related to WTClass. Students must contact WTClass if they have problems accessing and/or using Angel.

Viewpoints Disclaimer
The views expressed in this document, web-based course materials, and/or classroom presentations are those of the professor and do not necessarily represent the views of West Texas A&M University, its faculty and staff, or its students. Views expressed by students are likewise those of the person making such statements.

External Web sites Disclaimer
Neither the professor, the College of Business, nor WTAMU are responsible for the content of external web sites discussed in the classroom and/or linked to via online course materials, emails, message boards, or other means. Referred web sites are for illustrative purposes only, and are neither warranted nor endorsed by the professor, College of Business, or WTAMU. Web pages change frequently, as does domain name ownership. While every effort is made to ensure proper referencing, it is possible that students may on occasion find materials to be objectionable for reasons beyond our control.

Copyright
All original content in this document, all web-based course materials (be they text, audio, and/or video), and/or classroom presentations are © by Dr. De'Arno De'Armond. No distribution without the express written consent of the author. Students are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes during this course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the professor.

Repeating Course Work
Students are charged a fee for any course attempted for a third or subsequent time at WTAMU other than a non-degree credit developmental course or exempted courses.

Disabilities
West Texas A&M University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with Disability Support Services and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations.

Scholastic Dishonesty
It is the responsibility of students and instructors to help maintain scholastic integrity at the University by refusing to participate in or tolerate scholastic dishonesty. Commission of any of the following acts shall constitute scholastic dishonesty. This listing is not exclusive of any other acts that may reasonably be said to constitute scholastic dishonesty: acquiring or providing information for any assigned work or examination from any unauthorized source; informing any person or persons of the contents of any examination prior to the time the examination is given in subsequent sections of the course or as a makeup; plagiarism; submission of a paper or project that is substantially the same for two courses unless expressly authorized by the instructor to do so; submission of a paper or project prepared by another student as your own. You are responsible for being familiar with the university's Academic Integrity Code.

Physical or Educational Access
West Texas A&M University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with Disability Support Services and to contact the faculty member in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations.

Evacuation Statement
If you receive notice to evacuate the building, please evacuate promptly but in an orderly manner. Evacuation routes are posted in various locations indicating all exits, outside assemble area, location of fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations and emergency telephone numbers (651.5000 or 911). In the event an evacuation is necessary: evacuate immediately do not use elevators; take all personal belongings with you; report to outside assembly area and wait for further information; students needing assistance in the evacuation process should bring this to the attention of the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

Chemical and Equipment Safety Statement
Safety is everyone's responsibility. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are provided for all chemicals used in this class. MSDSs provide information about physical properties, health risks, fire explosion data, and other important information associated with these chemicals. Before handling or using a chemical, you should refer to the MSDS for that chemical. It is your responsibility to inform the instructor in writing of any health conditions that may prevent you from safely using a chemical (pregnancy, auto immune deficiency, etc.). It is also the responsibility of the student to report any spill or problems found while storing or using a chemical. If you are unsure about a chemical, always ask. If you see any unsafe condition, notify your instructor immediately. If you are unsure about the proper and safe operation of any piece of equipment, ask your instructor for proper instruction. All injuries, spill of materials and unsafe conditions must be reported to the instructor immediately.

 

Syllabus Subject to Change without prior notice. In the event of a major change I will notify you via course mail or discussion forum as soon as possible. (C) 2009-2010 Dr. De'Arno De'Armond, WTAMU.

 
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