This course provides students with a sound understanding of the interface between marketing and society. It will examine the various touch points a marketer has with society. Specifically this course highlights how “Marketing” is perceived by society, how consumers as well as producers can misbehave, the role marketing communication plays in society, and the prevalence of situations in which consumer and marketer interests align (Win-Win situations) and diverge, respectively.

The course enables students to broaden their perspective, to look upon marketing and its effects from different angles and to become equipped to develop into a rounded marketing practitioner themselves.

At the end of this course, students should:

1. have acquired an encompassing practical awareness of the interfaces between society and marketing;
2. know the primary theories situated at the intersection between marketing and society;
3. have a broadened perspective on marketing and be able to judge consequences of and influences on marketing activities in a wider societal context;
4. be sensitive to the ethical implications arising from the role of marketing in society;
5. be able to critically assess marketing efforts in order to maintain ethical principles;
6. be able to apply theoretical knowledge to new aspects and situations;
7. be able to clearly present an argument and insights to stakeholders with different perspectives and view points;
8. have gained heightened awareness of their own limitations in perspective taking;
9. be able to moderate discussions between different stakeholders.

Students are expected to be present during the entire course duration. To pass this course students need to be present for at least 80% of the sessions. Please notify the course leaders in case of an absence.

This modul will be organized as an intense course with workshop character and stretches over 3 full days.

Day1: Theoretical background is provided to set the scene, followed by first-hand experience and field research on marketing-society touch points.

Day 2 and 3: A mixture between expert and student inputs will elucidate and juxtapose the multiple perspectives. Speakers in the workshop include practitioners, academics working on relevant research topics, and special interest groups having first-hand experience with the phenomena under scrutiny.

The assessment portfolio reflects the aim of generating in-depth understanding through multiple routes of engagement:

• Field study: students will be required to “go into the field”. Groups of students will be sent out to rummage through their environment, canvassing and documenting interfaces between marketing and society (15 points).
• Group presentations: Every group (up to 4 students) will be assigned to one of the four main topics and asked to give a short (max. 15 min. +5 minutes discussion) presentation in class (30 points).
• Moderation and preparation of panel dicussion: Two groups will be responsible for an in class discussion between experts and class members (15 points).
• Individual essay: Every student is supposed to write an individual essay (up to 1500 words) about a preferred topic coverd in class. It MUST NOT be the same topic as from the group presentation (40 points).

This course is meant to be done in the last semester of the marketing master program. It is designed to wrap up all the knowledge you gained throughout the entire marketing program and to review everything from different perspectives. The assignments require a profound knowledge about all marketing aspects covered in the different classes. Therefore we would strongly recommend to take this class in your 4th semester. This would make sure that you can draw from the full source of the class and benefit most from it.

Presence especially in the first session is mandatory, however, you must not miss more than 80% of the entire course. If you miss more than 80% you cannot be graded and need to retake the class.