TEACHING PLAN FOR
• INTERNATIONAL PRODUCT
MANAGEMENT
1. Basic description
Name of the course: International Product Management
Academic year: 2015-2016
Term: 1º
Degree / Course: Bachelor’s Degree in International Business and Marketing
Course’s code: 40112
Number of credits: 4
Total number of hours committed: 100
Teaching language: English
Instructor: Mr. Anders Braekken
Timetable:
GROUP 1:
Monday,
15:30 – 17:45
GROUP 2:
Monday,
18:15 – 20:30
SEMINARS - GROUPS 101, 102, 201:
201:
202:
101:
102:
Wednesday,
Wednesday,
Wednesday,
Wednesday,
18:15
19:15
15:30
16:30
–
–
–
–
19:10
20:10
16:25
17:25
2. Introduction to the course
International Product Management (IPM) is a particularly relevant course for everyone
who wants to pursue an ambitious career in international commerce and marketing.
Whether you will end up as a product manager, brand manager, innovation consultant or
a start-up entrepreneur working to develop a product that will change people’s lives, or
work as marketing manager in a multinational company striving to win the hearts and
minds of consumers across different markets, this course will provide you with powerful
tools and models to help you succeed.
The IPM course takes a holistic approach to product management, from the moment an
idea for a new product is conceived to the time it is discontinued and withdrawn from the
market. The course is structured around the following four modules:
1. Product Innovation
Creating new realities is the ultimate objective of product innovation initiatives. However,
the bulk of new product development projects in companies represent minor innovations
that lack the dream, desire and commitment to create realities that will spur growth and
give an edge over competitors - they are caught in the commodity trap. In this module,
we look into how companies need to open up, foster a culture of innovation, create
innovation eco-systems, engage with change agents and embrace consumers.
2. New Product Development
In this module we outline a step-by-step roadmap to be followed throughout the new
product development process, from the idea of a new product is conceived to the product
is launched into the market space. We look at techniques for developing new product
concepts, build a business case for how to create, capture and deliver value, lean
development principles to speed up idea-to-market, product definition, supply-chain
planning and project management.
3. Product Branding and Positioning
Branding aims at connecting products and people, integrate into their lives and stay
there over time. Branding helps products stand out, differentiate from competitors, cut
through the clutter and become a desired and integrated part of people’s lives. Brands
transcend products. They deliver beyond the expected functional performance of the
product. Strong brands touch people’s hearts and inspire long-lasting conversations and
relationships that people embrace.
4. Product Life-Cycle Management
It is a painful fact that the great majority of new products that are launched into the
market fail and discontinued within a two-year period. Once in the market, products go
through cycles which can be divided into an early market stage and a late market stage.
We look at consumer profiles and characteristics of each of the phases and analyse
strategies companies can pursue in order to stimulate product adoption and manage the
product life-cycle successfully.
3. Competences to be achieved in the subject
General competences
Instrumental
G.I.1. Ability to search, analyze, assess
and synthesize information.
G.I.2. Ability to relate concepts and
knowledge from different areas.
G.I.3. Ability to organize and plan.
G.I.4. Ability to tackle and solve
problems.
G.I.5. Ability to make decisions in
complex and changing situations.
G.I.6. Ability to prepare, present and
defend arguments.
G.I.8. Oral and written competence in
communicating in English.
Generic systemic
G.S.1. Creative ability.
G.S.2. Observational ability.
G.S.4. Entrepreneurial ability.
G.S.6. Ability to propose, develop and
implement initiatives and changes
within the organization.
Specific competences
Disciplinary
E.D.11. Introduce the basic marketing
instruments and ability to plan
commercial strategies.
Professional
E.P.1. Ability to understand the
decisions made by economic agents and
their interaction in the markets.
E.P.2. Ability to analyze economic
indicators when making decisions within
the organization.
E.P.17.
Ability
to
express
and
understand
spoken
and
written
communication in English at an advance
level to apply it to the international
business area.
E.P.21. Ability to search and use the
various information resources.
E.P.22. Ability to contrast the acquired
knowledge during the training process
and adapt it to real situations.
For applicability
G.A.1. Ability to make operational the
knowledge and skills attained.
G.A.2. Ability to use quantitative
criteria and qualitative insights when
making decisions.
The above competences interrelated with the basic abilities set out in Royal Decree
1393/2007 are namely:
a. competence to understand knowledge on the basis of general secondary education;
b. competence to apply knowledge to day-to-day work in international management or
marketing, more specifically, the ability to develop and defend arguments and to solve
problems.
c. competence to gather and interpret relevant data making possible to issue
reflective judgments on economic and social reality.
d. competence to communicate and transmit information (ideas, problems,
solutions) to a specialized and non-specialized audience.
e. competence to develop learning activities in a relative autonomous manner.
Thus, the competences developed in the subject are structured into those that are seen
as a development or specification of basic knowledge and those that define the
professional profile of the graduate with respect to general and specific competences.
Basic competence: understanding knowledge
General Competences G.I.3
Specific competences E.P.1
Competencia básica: application of knowledge
Specific competences E.P.22
Basic competence: gather and interpret data
Specific competences E.P.21
Basic competence: communicate and transmit information
General competences G.I.8
Specific competences E.P.17
Basic competence: develop learning activities
General competences. G.I.3, G.S.6
Competences that define the professional profile which are not included under basic
competences
In general, these competences combine the following key elements for professionalizing
students in the area of international business and marketing:
- provide students with the capacity to adapt to dynamic teams and environments.
- provide students with the capacity to create their own integral vision of the operation of
a business or international marketing project.
- provide students with the capacity to make complex decisions and carry out negotiation
processes.
The subject's own competences
Provide students with a holistic approach to International Product Management, from
ideation to discontinuation, by combining theory, models, techniques, best practices and
practical exercises.
4. Contents
International Product Management (IPM) is a particularly relevant course for everyone
who wants to pursue an ambitious career in international commerce and marketing.
Whether you will end up as a product manager, brand manager, innovation consultant or
a start-up entrepreneur working to develop a product that will change people’s lives, or
work as marketing manager in a multinational company striving to win the hearts and
minds of consumers across different markets, this course will provide you with powerful
tools and models to help you succeed.
The IPM course takes a holistic approach to product management, from the moment an
idea for a new product is conceived to the time it is discontinued and withdrawn from the
market. The course is structured around the following four modules:
•
Product Innovation
•
New Product Development
•
Product Branding and Positioning
•
Product Life-Cycle Management
Product Life-Cycle
Management
Product Branding
and Positioning
New Product
Development
Product
Innovation
Module Wk.
Lecture Topics
Time Seminar Topics
Time
1
Introduction to International
Product Management (IPM)
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
2
Product Innovation
Models In Organisations
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
3
Open Innovation Ecosystems
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
4
Concept Development and
Business Modelling
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
5
Product Definition, Prototyping
and Supply- Chain Planning
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
6
Market Considerations
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
7
Product Branding
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
8
Product Launch and
Market Entry Strategies
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
9
Managing the Life-Cycle
From Early to Late Markets
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
Summary and Exam
Preparations
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
Total lecture hours
20h
Total seminar hours
10h
Est. preparation time
40h
Est. preparation time
30h
10
5. Assessment
Regular term evaluation
The final grade will be determined by the weighted average of various continuous
evaluation activities and a final exam:
.
Assessment
elements
Time
period
Type of
assessme
nt
Assessment agent
Com
p
Teach
er
Op
t
Type of
activity
Self
Coeval
eval
Grouping
Indi
v.
Group
(#)
X
X
X
Weig
ht
(%)
Seminar
Discussions and
Case Presentations
Througho
ut the
course
X
X
Conceptu
al,
applicatio
n and
synthesis
Group Papers
Week 5 &
9
X
X
Applicati
on and
synthesis
X
Individual Essay
(1.500 words).
Week 7
X
X
Conceptu
al and
synthesis
X
20%
Final Exam
(A minimum score
of 4 is required)
Exam
week
X
X
Conceptu
al and
synthesis
X
50%
10%
20%
Taking the final exam and obtaining a minimum score of 4 are necessary conditions in
order to pass the course.
Description of evaluation
Seminar Participation
10%
Students are expected to participate in seminar discussions, either through case
presentations, role games or providing points-of-view in debates. Seminars focus on
practical exercises associated with the topics which have been taught in classes the same
week. Students are divided into groups of three to five members.
Group Project Papers
20%
There will be two group papers to be submitted throughout the course. The papers adopt
a practical case-based approach to the content and models presented in the course.
There will be one Group Project Paper for each of the following modules:
•
Product Innovation
•
Product Branding
Individual Essay (1.500 words)
20%
The essay is an individual work in which the students express their understanding of a
specific topic, undertake an analysis and present their point-of-view of the topic in a
given context. Essays must be submitted according to the format guidelines.
Final exam
50%
Doing the final exam is a necessary condition to pass the course. In case of not attending
the exam, the student will receive a “not presented” grade. The minimum score in the
final exam in order to compute with the other grading elements is 4. In case of not
attaining the score of four (4), the course’s final grade will be the final exam’s score.
Extraordinary evaluation in case of failed exam takes place in January 2016.
The minimum score required for approving the extraordinary evaluation is four
(4).
Group Papers
20%
If the case studies were done and presented during the term, the grade will be applied in
the extraordinary evaluation. In case any or all were not done during the regular term,
their submittal will be required at the time of retake exams.
Individual Essay
30%
The completion and submittal of the Individual Essay is a necessary condition to pass the
course. If the paper was finished and submitted during the term, the grade will be
applied in the extraordinary evaluation. In case it was not completed successfully during
the regular term, its submittal will be required at the time the extraordinary evaluation.
Extraordinary exam
50%
Doing the extraordinary exam is a necessary condition to pass the course for those who
did not pass the regular final exam. In case of not attending the exam, the student will
receive a “not presented” grade.
The minimum score in the extraordinary exam in order to compute with the other
grading elements is 4. In case of not attaining the score of four (4), the course’s final
grade will be the extraordinary exam’s score.
Evaluation of competences:
GI
1
GI
2
G
I
3
G
I
4
G
I
5
G
I
6
Class
participat
ion
Final
exam
G
A
1
G
A
2
G
S
1
G
S
2
G
S
4
G
S
6
E
D
1
1
E
P
1
E
P
2
X
Case
discussio
ns and
presentat
ions
Group
project
G
I
8
X
X
X
X
E
P
1
7
E
P
2
2
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
E
P
2
1
X
Pr
o
pi
a
s
X
X
X
X
X
X
6. Bibliography and learning resources
Haines, Steven, (2009). The Product Manager’s Desk Reference. Mc-Graw-Hill.
Chesbrough, Henry, (2011). Open Services Innovation: Rethinking Your Business to
Grow and Compete in a New Era. Jossey-Bass.
Ries, Eric, (2011). The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous
Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. Crown Business.
Osterwalder, Alexander and Pigneur, Yves, (2010). Business Model Generation: A
Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Johnson, Gerry and Scholes, Kevan (2010). Exploring Corporate Strategy. Prentice Hall.
Wheeler, Alina, (2012). Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole
Branding Team. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Moore, Geoffrey A. (2006). Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive
Products to Mainstream Customers. Harper Collins.
Learning resources
•
Powerpoint slides for each session which will be uploaded to Aul@-Esci
(Moodle platform).
•
Video documentaries.
•
Articles related to subject and case studies.
7. Methodology
Lectures
Students are expected to be prepared and participate actively in class discussions.
Therefore, students must read prior to the class session the material related to the
content of the session as specified in section eight. See table on next page for lecture
topics.
Seminars
Students of a specific seminar group will form subgroups of 4 people that will work on
the practical exercises and will elaborate and present the group papers. Case discussions
will be evaluated both as a group and on an individual basis. The group papers will be
evaluated and graded on group basis.
IN CLASSROOM
DIRECTED
(OUTSIDE CLASSROOM)
Professor:
Professor:
• Professor's exposition
• Doubts and questions
resolutions
• Reading
assessment
of
study reports.
• Reading
assessment
marketing
sections.
AUTONOMOUS
and
case
and
of
plan
Student:
Student:
Student:
• Case study discussions
• Marketing
plan
presentation
• Final exam
• Case study preparation
• Marketing
plan
elaboration
• Reading
of
material
before class
• Personal
individual
study of the subject
• Preparation for the final
exam
8. Topic overview for lectures and seminars.
Product LifeProduct Branding New Product
Cycle
and Positioning Development
Management
Product
Innovation
Module Wk.
Lecture Topics
Time Seminar Topics
Time
1
Introduction to International
Product Management (IPM)
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
2
Product Innovation
Models In Organisations
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
3
Open Innovation Ecosystems
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
4
Concept Development and
Business Modelling
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
5
Product Definition, Prototyping
and Supply- Chain Planning
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
6
Market Considerations
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
7
Product Branding
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
8
Product Launch and
Market Entry Strategies
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
9
Managing the Life-Cycle
From Early to Late Markets
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
Summary and Exam
Preparations
2h
Practical Exercise.
1h
Total lecture hours
20h
Total seminar hours
10h
Est. preparation time
40h
Est. preparation time
30h
10
Total estimated time dedicated to the course: 100 hours.