24222 Marketing Channels

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject develops the knowledge and skills to design, develop, maintain and manage effective relationships among worldwide marketing channels to achieve sustainable competitive advantage by using strategic and managerial frames of reference.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. implement practical solutions to complex channel problems
2. apply analytical perspectives and decision tools, which underlie managerial channel decisions.

This subject also contributes specifically to the following Program Learning Objectives (PLO):

• show an understanding of essential concepts necessary for a career in business and related professions (PLO 1.1)
• demonstrate inter-relationships between differing business disciplines (PLO 2.2)
• demonstrate work-ready disciplinary knowledge (PLO 5.1)
• apply technical skills necessary for professional practice in business (PLO 5.2).

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

This subject provides the tools to implement a crucial component of marketing strategies and develops the knowledge and skills to design, develop, maintain and manage effective relationships among worldwide marketing channels to achieve sustainable competitive advantage by using strategic and managerial frames of reference. This subject develops skills linked to the Faculty's graduate attribute that looks at developing critical thinking, creativity and analytical skills.

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject is based on dynamic and interactive lecture and tutorial sessions. It is taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials. The lectures involve critical debate and case deliberations; and the tutorials are built around in-class exercises, case discussions and presentations. These classes are supplemented with both printed and electronic learning materials and resources. The UTS web-based communication tool (UTSOnline Course Information) is used to share information and encourage interaction between staff and students. Students also use appropriate computer software such as spreadsheets and word processors to complete assigned tasks.

Content

The subject addresses topics like the following:

• Marketing channel structures and functions
• Marketing channel design and service outputs
• Marketing channel flows and efficiency analysis
• Marketing channel gap analysis
• Managing marketing channel conflict and coordination
• Strategic alliances and vertical integration in marketing channels

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Mid-semester Exam (Individual)

Assessment Item 2: Project Report (Group)

Assessment Item 3: Final Exam (Individual)

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.

Required texts

Anne Coughlan, Erin Anderson, Louis W. Stern and Adel El-Ansary (2006), Marketing Channels, 7th edn, Prentice Hall.

References

Rosenbloom, G. 2004. Marketing Channels: A Management View, 7th edn, Cengage.

Friedman, L.G. and Furey, T.R. 1999. The Channel Advantage. Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Gorchels, L., Marien, E. and West, C. 2004. The Manager’s Guide to Distribution Channels. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Other resources

Research Sources
Students are encouraged to access the UTS Library for research. Most of the major academic journals and publications are available at either the City or Kuring-gai Campus libraries, although the more popular journals may be in Closed Reserve.

Students are strongly encouraged to use the Library PCs to access the Library's Worldwide Website using PCs, either through PCs with CD-ROMs or on selected PCs in the libraries and selected laboratories via the World-Wide Web at http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/ .
There is an online catalogue for the UTS Libraries plus Interlink access to a number of other University Library Catalogues in NSW and around Australia. Some other libraries have very powerful online access to various articles and publications, but many have very limited access to material. Students should not hesitate to contact the Faculty of Business librarians to help them identify other useful databases.

The best electronic database for business research is ABI/INFORM which is available in the Database section of the Library Website. Most of the major business academic journals and publications can be found in ABI/INFORM. However, ABI/INFORM only contains either an article abstract or a full-text version of the article, which often means that you may still have to seek the original article if you need tables, graphs or exhibits that are critical to explain principles covered in the article.

In some cases students may be able to obtain articles that are not in the Libraries by contacting the Faculty of Business Liaison Librarian who may be able to pick them up through the CARL/UNCOVER Service. Some articles that are not in ABI/INFORM may be in the CURRENT CONTENTS database also available in the Database section of the Library Website.

A number of marketing journals may not be in these databases but still may be in the Library collections.

Relevant journals, periodicals and publications that may assist students with research for case studies and other components might include:

• Academy of Management Journal
• Harvard Business Review
• Journal of Marketing
• Journal of Marketing Research
• Organization Science
• Sloan Management Review
• Strategic Management Journal

Business channels textbooks may be used in research but should not be the only or major references used. Students should ensure that all referencing conforms to the guidelines in the ‘Statement on Plagiarism’ Section.