Getting under the hood annual report workbook Coca-Cola

As marketing managers, we use concepts, ideas and theories (conceptual knowledge) to interpret data, facts, and experiences (applied knowledge) to answer questions, solve problems, resolve issues and make recommendations (critical thinking). My ultimate goal as your teacher is to help you grow in each of the three areas of conceptual knowledge, applied knowledge and critical thinking.

I adopt Bloom’s Learning Taxonomy, the most often used source for explaining the hierarchy of learning. The Taxonomy offers a way to classify learning objectives and student learning evaluations into levels of complexity and specificity.

Conceptual Knowledge (Remembering and Understanding)

The first area of conceptual knowledge requires learning new marketing concepts and principles. This is akin to learning the “language of marketing.” Managers need to be able to talk about marketing using the key concepts of marketing. This learning is foundational knowledge represented by “understand” and “remember” in Bloom’s taxonomy. This must be mastered before application and critical thinking can be successfully accomplished.

The specific marketing concepts that may appear on the in-class exam are found in the Principles Text at the end of each chapter in the “Key Terms” section and as bolded terms in the Marketing Handbook. These key concepts are reinforced in the online lectures, class discussions, online quizzes and in the case studies. This is the “memorization” part of the evaluations. I recommend you use the “flash cards” study aids at the mymarketing lab or create flash cards to help you study for this part of the evaluation. Because there are many new concepts that you will need to learn, please begin this process early and develop good study habits in order to be successful with this evaluation.

On the examination, the conceptual aspect of your learning will be evaluated using short answer questions. In class on the day of the exam you will be asked to answer questions about key terms using short answer types of question formats such as:

1. Briefly describe who sets the ceiling for product prices and what sets the floor for product prices?

2. From the economic system's point of view, the role of ________ is to transform the assortments of products made by producers into the assortments wanted by consumers.

3. Briefly describe the five core marketplace concepts.

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Applied Knowledge (Apply and Analyze)

The second aspect of the examination involves the application of new key terms and concepts. In Bloom’s Taxonomy this is represented by “apply” and “analyze” steps in learning. Application is tested in the ability to describe an example or provide an illustration of how the key terms and concepts are or would be used in a real marketing situation.

This will also be part of the in-class exam. In class on the examination, the applied knowledge aspect of learning will be evaluated using short answer questions in which you will be asked to describe an example or illustration of the use of a key marketing term or concept. Here is an example:

Q. A company's marketing communications mix—also called its promotion mix—blends five different components. Drawing from your own experiences, select a brand, product or service and illustrate how each component of the marketing mix was used to communicate with you and other consumers.

Comprehensive Critical Thinking (Evaluate and Create)

The third part of the exam is a comprehensive critical thinking essay done outside of class. This section represents higher order learning exemplified in Bloom’s Taxonomy as “evaluate” and “create.” This part of the exam will ask you to drawn upon your conceptual and applied knowledge in the development of a substantive analysis and resolution of a marketing problem. Please see the exam question at Beachboard.

Exam Grading Rubric

100-90: Substantive above average description and analysis of all issues related to the question with reference to case material, text, lecture and online (secondary research, etc.) where appropriate to support descriptions and analysis, including applied examples. Above or consistent with high level graduate level work product.

80-90: Average description of case issues and answers. Some attempt at partial analysis of issues that includes reference to case materials and placing answer in some context using text, lecture and online materials. Average or close to graduate level work product.

79 or below: Incomplete answer to question. Incomplete description of case issues posed by question. Lacks substantive and thoughtful analysis of key case issues and lacks reference to case materials, text, lecture or online research. Below average in terms of graduate level work product.