The course introduces students to the marketing of goods and services to business, institutions, and government. Business-to-business (B2B) markets are complex but of significant economic relevance as the overall volume of transactions is much higher than that of the ultimate business-to-consumer (B2C) market. For students, learning about B2B marketing is especially interesting as the majority of graduates join firms that compete directly in business markets.

Current Challenges in B2B Marketing offers insights into 1) a business marketing perspective, 2) B2B marketing mix and strategy, 3) interfirm relationships in B2B markets, 4) sales management and organization, and 5) technology in B2B marketing. Building on this guiding structure, we will integrate and discuss current B2B market trends/challenges, business cases, and recent academic advancements.

The course equips students with a foundational understanding of key concepts in B2B marketing. It further aims to help students develop critical analysis and problem-solving abilities with respect to managing the marketing function in companies that operate in business markets.

After successfully completing the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the unique characteristics of business markets and key differences between B2B and B2C marketing
• Segment business market customers and identify relevant decision makers in organizational buying behavior
• Decide for appropriate marketing and sales approaches and strategies to successfully manage buyer-seller relationships in business markets
• Transfer insights from academic research and business cases to create practical solutions for current challenges in B2B marketing
• Organize an efficient team work by disseminating tasks and responsibilities

Attendance during the course is compulsory (min. 80% to pass), which implies that you should not miss more than one session.

The course employs different teaching methods and learning activities, with the ultimate goal of providing an interactive and engaging learning experience. Beyond theoretical inputs by the lecturer, students will work in teams to prepare for case studies and academic paper discussions and presentations. Moreover, two guest speakers offer first-hand insights into a practical perspective and report on current challenges in their current B2B marketing.

The grading is based on the following performance evaluation criteria:

• In-class participation & mini quizzes, individual-level (20%)
• Case study & academic paper presentation, group-level (40%)
• Exam, individual-level (40%)

Active in-class participation is encouraged through the discussion of business cases to reflect theory input, case studies, and research papers, and the inputs provided by the guest speakers.

Students work together in groups of 4-5 people on two distinct tasks: 1) The presentation and discussion of one academic research paper, 2) the preparation of two case studies. The responsibility for these sub-tasks can be split among group members. A peer-evaluation ensures an equal contribution of each team member.

The exam covers theory-based as well as problem-centered questions. Exam-relevant materials are the compulsory readings, teaching slides, case study contents, and business insights from guest speakers.

This course is part of the portfolio of elective courses of the Master of Science in Marketing program at WU. The course imparts in-depth knowledge in one or multiple selected specialized fields of marketing. The course builds on a strong foundation in marketing knowledge and skills which students acquire during the first year of WU's MSc Marketing program (this first year comprises 62.5 ECTS credits in total).

For MSc Marketing students, the successful completion of the following courses is a prerequisite for the admission to this elective course:

• Management by Experiments (5 ECTS)
• Marketing Analytics (7.5 ECTS)
• Digital Marketing (5 ECTS)

Additionally, MSc Marketing students are prepared for this elective course by taking courses in the following fields during their first year:

• Global Marketing Strategy (5 ECTS)
• Qualitative Insights (5 ECTS)
• Consumer Psychology (5 ECTS)
• Consumer Value Management (5 ECTS)
• Retailing & Sales (5 ECTS)
• Business Modelling & Innovation (5 ECTS)

Moreover, this elective course builds on 45 ECTS credits in business administration which students had completed in order to be admitted to WU's MSc Marketing program.

As a requirement to participate in the course, students should have acquired prior knowledge on B2C marketing and consumer markets in general.

If you have any further questions regarding the course content or organization, feel free to contact me anytime: pascal.guentuerkuen@wu.ac.at. During the course, I will also be available for questions in the classroom after each session.