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RETAILING MANAGEMENT
MARKETING 491R


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SYLLABUS

 

TEXTBOOK: Levy and Weitz, RETAILING MANAGEMENT , 6th edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2007

 

COURSE OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES:

Retailing is a dynamic and ever changing industry. We see significant growth in the industry here and abroad, the emergence of electronic retailing, mergers and acquisitions, new technologies that affect how merchandise may be sold and managed, and new types of retailing establishments. This course is designed to keep you abreast of these changes and give you exposure to the types of decisions facing traditional retail buyers, managers, and owners as well as electronic retailers. You will gain an understanding of retailing trends, technology in the industry, merchandise planning and management, pricing, location, promotional strategies, human resource management, store design and layout, customer service, and the international movement of retailers.

As a potential marketing manager, this course will give you insight into the retailing environment of which you will be a part and allow you to make informed decisions in your interaction with retailers. The course also provides a good foundation for those interested in owning or running a small retail business or those interested in pursuing a retail career as a merchandise buyer or store manager.

Career Paths:  

Two of the most common career paths in retailing are in merchandise buying and store management. Merchandise buyers are responsible for managing a budget, planning and securing the merchandise assortment, negotiating with vendors, analyzing sales results, managing markdowns, overseeing promotional materials and advertising, and supervising in-store displays. Store managers and department managers work with buyers to implement merchandising strategies and manage merchandise displays. They are also responsible for hiring and training personnel and implementing a solid customer service program. New college graduates are recruited for executive training programs in each of these two career paths and the potential for advancement is notable. You may also be interested in pursuing opportunities in electronic retailing either by joining a new startup company or considering a new web-based business of your own!

 

COURSE PROJECT:

EXAMS:

Three exams will be given throughout the semester covering the assigned chapters in the textbook, handouts, assignments and class discussion. Exams can include essay type questions, problems, and multiple choice questions. Each exam is worth 20% of your final grade. Should you miss an exam for any reason, a makeup exam will be given covering material from that exam during the final exam period. Travel plans should be scheduled after finals week and will not be accepted as an excuse for an alternative makeup time.

Short assignments will be given during the semester to complement class discussions. Further details for the assignments will be forthcoming. The semster long project is worth 20% of your grade while other short assignments are worth 10%. Your contribution to class discussions will comprise the remaining 10% of your grade. Class attendance is weighted into your class participation grade – after all, you can’t participate if you aren’t in class. You are responsible for announcements made in class regarding assignments or changes to this syllabus.

Weighting of Course Components 

Exam 1 20%

Exam 2 20%

Exam 3 20%

Semester Assignments 20%

Short Assignments 10%

Class Participation 10%

   
TIMELINESS:

Two important skills to master (if you haven't done so already) are arriving for meetings/classes/work on time and getting projects/assignments in on time. You will be a more highly valued employee/student and most likely to be rewarded (as opposed to let go or penalized) if you are responsible and effective on these fronts. Anticipate obstacles (e.g. my car broke, my computer crashed) and plan ahead!


ACADEMIC HONESTY:

The University Policy applies. Strive to document all of your written work carefully and thoughtfully. According to Webster, plagiarism is "to take (ideas, writings, etc.) from another and offer them as one's own". Plagiarism is a serious offense and University regulations (as documented in the Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook) apply. Material drawn from another source should be cited and appropriately referenced. You must reference materials found on the web as well. You can not copy and paste information found on the web and represent this as your own work. You need to reword (unless you are placing quotation marks around it) and footnote information gathered from any source.