Discussion questions:
1, Define in detail what marketing is and discuss its core concepts. Does this differ from what you thought last week? If so, how?
2.Some marketing experts stress the societal marketing concept, the view that an organization should discover and satisfy the needs of its consumers in a way that also provides for society's well-being. Do you agree or disagree? Explain and support your position in detail.
3.Which do you feel is the most important part of the marketing management process: analysis, planning, implementation, or control? Discuss whether a company that "does things right" is more or less likely to succeed than a company that "does the right things."
4.Many companies consider strategic planning too limiting and instead concentrate on tactics and execution. John O'Toole, an advertising agency president and author of The Trouble With Advertising, makes the opposite case in the context of advertising: "Strategy is the key to success for an advertising campaign. It is not possible to succeed with a brilliant idea and superb execution of the wrong strategy, but it is possible to attain some success with no idea and a dull execution of the right strategy" (quoted in Maurice I. Mandell, Advertising, 4th ed., Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1984, p. 145). Please comment on Mr. O'Toole's statement. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
5.What is a company's marketing environment? Describe and discuss, in your own words, the factors that affect the marketing environment and give "real world" examples of each.
6.The single most important demographic trend in the United States may be the changing age structure of the population. Characterize the differences among baby boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. How might a marketer selling personal computers target a person in each of these groups?
7.Look at the pizza ordering spoof online at https://www.aclu.org/pizza/images/screen.swf
Are you concerned about marketers having too much data about you? How should society address this issue?