Service Marketing, Marketing Ethics and Sustainability C, 15 Credits

Contents

This course is intended for students who wish to increase their theoretical and practical knowledge and stimulate their critical thinking skills concerning service marketing, marketing ethics and sustainability issues. The course consists of two modules, which are further described below:

Module 1.  Service Marketing, 7.5 credits/Tjänstemarknadsföring, 7,5 hp
Module 2. Marketing Ethics and Sustainability, 7.5 credits/Marknadsföringsetik och hållbarhet, 7,5 hp

Common expected learning outcome:

• communicate central concepts for the course in English, both orally and in writing

The course is given an examined in English.    

Module 1. Service Marketing, 7.5 credits
The provision and co-creation of service is closely linked to perceptions of the service provider and thus to overall marketing and ethics issues in regards to how the customer and other stakeholders are treated and recognized.

The module broadens the view of marketing and provides an understanding of service marketing theories and of how marketing can be practiced in organizations on local, national and international markets. The module has a service dominant logic view on marketing, where organizations are seen as value creators together with customers. The module critically examines traditional perspectives on service marketing and contrasts these with contemporary theoretical and practical developments.
 
Expected learning outcomes
After completing this module, the student should be able to:

• Identify and critically reflect upon service marketing theories and practices as an integrated part of any value proposition from an organization
• Illustrate and interpret various theories and models of the service marketing process from customer, managerial, and research perspectives
• Distinguish and examine the roles of employees, customers, and technology in service design and co-creation for perception of overall service quality, customer satisfaction, loyalty and employee retention
• Explore and analyse services from customer, management and societal perspectives and critically examine ethical and sustainability aspects related to relevant stakeholders.
• Develop, argue and make decisions for courses of actions in solving critical service incidents from a managerial perspective

Focus of instruction
Learning activities include lectures, guest lectures, class discussions, prepared seminars and group work. Lectures introduce certain topics and guide the students to further readings and literature searches. Based on this form of instruction students are expected to be able to apply service management work-skills regarding planning, evaluating, team-working, meeting deadlines, information finding, report writing and using information technology. It is also vital for the knowledge generation of this module that students actively search, find, assess and critically discuss scientific journal articles covering both traditional service marketing research and contemporary issues. Learning activities and assignments are designed to also improve students’ generic skills, specifically oral and written communication, presentation techniques, information searches and teamwork.

Examination modes
The assessment of the module consists of seminars, a paper assignment (in group) including a presentation, an individual written assignment and an individual written exam. Students must attend seminars and case presentations in order to pass the module. Material from guest lectures and additional literature/articles may be used in the examination. A passing grade is required for each part. The course is given an examined in English. Note as well examination modes for the course below.

Module 2. Marketing Ethics and Sustainability, 7.5 credits
For companies today, ethical behaviour and environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly important. In spite of this, many business and marketing decisions are made without considering their environmental, social and ethical implications. This module is designed to increase awareness and provide tools for analyzing ethics, beliefs and attitudes related to marketing, and how they relate to issues of sustainability. It pays special attention to the manner in which organizations can become agents of unsustainability and injustice in society, and conversely, how these organizations can be transformed by stakeholders, such as consumers and owners, and by institutional reforms. During the module sustainability will be analysed at the institutional level, focusing on the socially and structurally embedded nature of corporate actions in general and marketing issues in particular.

Expected learning outcomes
After completing this module, the student should be able to:

• Compare and critically reflect upon classical normative ethical theories and contemporary concepts related to marketing ethics and sustainability.
• Identify and critically discuss sustainability challenges facing planet Earth, future businesses and marketing endeavors.
• Identify and describe marketing ethics and sustainability issues and dilemmas with positive and negative implications for different stakeholders.
• Critically reflect upon the consequences of different marketing methods and apply a marketing ethics and sustainability perspective on organizational activities.
• Assess the impact of corporate and consumer decisions on human life, society, and the natural environment, locally, nationally and internationally.
• Propose solutions to marketing challenges with ethical and sustainability implications relevant for marketing management and analyze the relevance and trustworthiness of used sources.

Focus of instruction
The module is intended to let students encounter, problematize, critically reflect upon, and solve marketing ethics and sustainability issues. Focus of instruction include small group seminars, individual self-reflective writing, case solving in groups, lectures and in-class discussions. The role of lectures is mainly to introduce certain topics and guide students to further reading and literature as well as online resources. Students are required to analyze and discuss scientific journal articles as well as solve real world cases with leadership implications.

Examination modes
Examination is based upon the student’s active participation in seminars, written assignments and individual tests, and successful completion of group/individual coursework as assigned. Students must attend seminars and case presentations in order to pass the module. Material from possible guest lectures, documentary films and additional literature/articles may be used in the examination. The course is given an examined in English. Note as well examination modes for the course below.

Expected learning outcomes

See each module.

Required Knowledge

Courses in Business Administration (60 credits) At Basic level (A-level) and Intermediate level (B-level) a minimum of 60 credits.
Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B/6.

Form of instruction

See each module.

Examination modes

See each separate module and below.

The following grading system is used:
Pass with distinction (Väl godkänd, VG, 75% or more),
Pass (Godkänd, G, 50% or more)
and Fail (Underkänd U, less than 50%).

Grades on the course are awarded when the student has passed all examinations and compulsory course elements. The course is given and examined in English.
To receive the grade Pass with distinction (VG) in the 30 credits course consisting of four modules of the same size, the student must have achieved Pass with distinction (VG) in at least three out of four modules. In shorter courses for example 7,5 credit courses, 15 credit courses or 22,5 credits courses Pass with distinction (VG) is given when the student has achieved at least 75% of the total weighted points.

A student who does not pass at the time of the written examination will be offered an opportunity to sit a further examination within two months. Beyond that, additional examination opportunities normally arise every academic year, one week prior to the start of the autumn term. If required by specific circumstances, the Director of Studies may decide on other forms of examination

In case of failure on seminar participation or individual and group assignments, compensating assignments must be completed in accordance with instructions given, no later than two weeks after the completion of the module. Mandatory assignments (seminars, written assignments, cases, computer assignments etc.) that have not been handed in within stipulated time must be done the next time the course is offered. If the form of examination does not permit repetition other forms of re-examination may be used.

When a student has failed an examination on two occasions, he or she has a right to have another grading teacher. A written request for an alternative examiner should be handed to the director of studies no later than two weeks before the next examination opportunity.

A student who has passed an examination can not redo the examination to get a higher grade.

If a student fails to present a photo ID at the occasion of a written exam in an exam room will not be allowed to take the exam.

Disciplinary action may be taken against students who uses unauthorized help aids or in some other way tries to mislead on a test or when another type of task is being evaluated. Rules and regulations concerning the production of academic texts and correct referencing will be applicable to all written assignments. (see instructions in the thesis manual, Thesis Writing in Business Administration). Urkund records may be used for control. In addition, Umeå University rules and regulations for education and research applies:  http://www.umu.se/regelverk/utbildning-pa-grund--och-avancerad-niva

Educational activities are designed to facilitate students towards achieving expected learning outcomes and can explain, supplement and provide contrast to the course literature and other relevant course materials.
 

Other regulations

Academic credit transfers are according to the University credit transfer regulations.

This course can not be included in the degree together with Service Marketing and Marketing Ethics - an international perspective C 2FE124

This is a course at the C-level in a BSc-degree at Umeå University. The course can also be included in study programs in Business Administration and Economics at Umeå School of Business and Economics.