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351-0403-00L 3 Credits DS , MSC , NDS D-GESS , D-MTEC
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Marketing I

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Georg von Krogh
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:14:43

Abstract

The course offers an introduction to the theory and practice of marketing. Students will learn how and when to use the marketing mix framework to develop marketing strategies. According to the marketing mix framework, firms compete for customers along the lines of product, price, promotion and placement.

Objective

The course offers an introduction to the theory and practice of marketing. Students will learn how and when to use the marketing mix framework to develop marketing strategies. According to the marketing mix framework, firms compete for customers along the lines of product, price, promotion and placement.

Content

The course is given by the D-MTEC chair for Strategic Management and Innovation. Strategic management deals with the long-term competitiveness of the firm. Innovation, understood as the development and commercialization of new products and services is an integral part of the competitiveness of the firm. All too often, though, are new products and services developed with superior technical performance at great cost, but with little attention paid to customers and their needs. Enters marketing. Traditionally, marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy the interests and objectives of individuals and organizations. The problem is when too many engineering and development hours have been spent with little or no interaction with customers. That is, the marketing efforts enter after the product is developed. The course will have the traditional "marketing mix approach" as a starting framework. In the "marketing mix approach" four activity sets are recognized, known as the 4P:s: Product, Price, Promotion and Placement (or distribution). Product deals with the actual product or service and the needs of the end-user or customer. Price, deals with the pricing of the product, including discounts or alternative revenue models such as leasing or service contracts. Promotion, deals with methods of promoting the product. Finally, placement deals with how the product reaches the customer. According to the marketing mix perspective, firms compete for customers along the lines of these four P:s. The marketing mix and 4P approach has its origin in the marketing of consumer goods, where it is assumed that consumers have mass market properties. In order to introduce some flexibility to allow for variations in customer taste and demand, the market is usually divided into various segments. Thus, the logic is: segmentation, differentiation and positioning; dividing the market into well defined segments of similar customers; differentiating the offer to satisfy the demand within the segment; and finally positioning your product in the minds of the customers relative to your competitors. The marketing mix and 4P approach is applicable when manufacturers and customers do not need too much interaction and where the supplier is the most active partner. However, in situations where suppliers and customers exchange great amount of technical information and work closely together over many years, the marketing efforts will be quite different from consumer goods marketing. For example, the product will be adapted to the needs of a few select customers, rather than to the "average needs" of many. Because of this, the course will address marketing situations for both consumer goods and for knowledge- and relational intensive engineering products and services. The focus of the course, however, is the 4P, but students will learn how to modify the 4P model to situations outside of the consumer goods market.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
DS , MSC , NDS
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
end-of-semester examination

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture with exercise Marketing I
Permission from lecturers required for all students. Due to capacity reasons, only regular ETH students and ETH exchange students will be admitted to the course. Unfortunately, we cannot admit auditors or students from other universities. Before registering, please contact Jan Henrik Sieg < > to confirm your eligibility for the course.
  • Tue 13:15-15:00 (HG D 1.1)
  • 11.12 Date 13:15-15:00 (ETA F 5)
2 h weekly

Offered In