24222 Marketing Channels
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 24108 Marketing Foundations OR 24109 Marketing and Customer Value
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject develops the knowledge and skills to design, develop, maintain and manage effective relationships among worldwide marketing channels to achieve sustainable competitive advantage by using strategic and managerial frames of reference. It prepares students for the practical application of distribution channel management problems that enables effective decision making in future workplace environments.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | implement practical solutions to complex channel problems in a variety of business settings |
|---|---|
| 2. | apply analytical perspectives and marketing channel tools, which underlie managerial channel decisions |
| 3. | analyse how digital channels evolve and compliment traditional marketing channels to create multi-channel distribution networks |
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Marketing channels identifies the key theories and frameworks associated with the successful practice of marketing channel management.
This subject develops the students marketing oriented decision-making skills that link to the faculty’s graduate attributes that look at applying intellectual rigour, creative and analytical thinking by performing a group marketing channel for a live company considering export to an international country market. Students will develop practitioner recommendations that they would experience in a real-world situation.
Mini case studies are presented and analysed by students in tutorial classes and refreshed each session to give students the most current theories and practice in International marketing.
The lectures and tutorials will link and build on students previous marketing knowledge with active discussion on key marketing channel concepts and issues that would be encountered by marketing practitioners.
Marketing channels contributes to the development of the following graduate attributes:
- Intellectual rigour and innovative problem solving
- Communication and collaboration
- Professional and technical competence
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject is based on dynamic and interactive lecture and tutorial sessions. It is taught through a combination of lectures and tutorials. The lectures involve critical debate and case deliberations; and the tutorials are built around in-class exercises, case discussions and presentations. The lectures are made available on the learning management system after the main lecture to allow students to reinforce their understanding of the concepts covered. If available, guest speakers may be used to enhance the practitioner’s application of real world channel problems. Students will be notified if a guest speaker is to attend and they are required to come to lectures with prepared questions.
Students will be provided with a tutorial guide that set outs the lesson plan for each week, this includes in-depth discussion questions, case analysis and assigned readings. Students are required to have read these materials before coming to class to engage in detailed discussions of the weekly topic.
These classes are supplemented with both printed and electronic learning materials and resources. The UTS Learning Management System is used to share information and encourage interaction between staff and students. Students also use appropriate computer software such as spreadsheets and word processors to complete assigned tasks.
Collaboration is encouraged between students in tutorials and lectures to discuss current channel topics, before joining a wider class discussion. Tutorials will include time where students will work together in student led discussion of the exercise and/or case with the provision of tutor and peer feedback.
Feedback throughout the session will be given verbally and formatively by the tutors to clarify student's understandings of key channel concepts.
Content (topics)
The subject addresses topics like the following:
- Marketing channel structures and functions
- Marketing channel design and service outputs
- Marketing channel flows and efficiency analysis
- Marketing channel gap analysis
- Managing marketing channel conflict and coordination
- Strategic alliances and vertical integration in marketing channels
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Multiple Choice Quizzes (Individual)*
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | The 2 Quizes will be delivered online. |
| Criteria: | *Note: Late submission of the assessment task will not be marked and awarded a mark of zero. |
Assessment task 2: Project Report (Group)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1, 2 and 3 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | The final word document report should be a minimum of 7,000 words plus (i.e., excluding) references and appendices. When you have completed the final draft of the report, make sure that you undertake a final edit of the report Also, make sure that you carefully reference all the external data, information, and arguments that you have used/made in preparing the slide deck. |
Assessment task 3: Final Exam (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% |
Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.
Recommended texts
Hard Copy: Palmatier, Sivadas, Stern and El Ansary, Marketing Channel Strategy: An Omni-Channel Approach, 9th Edition,
ISBN: 978-0-367-82123-4 (International Student Edition Paperback)
E_Book Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/Marketing-Channel-Strategy-Omni-channel-Approach/dp/1138593931
Please note: You are not required to purchase the text book. The lecture material and additional resources will be more than enough to complete the course successfully.
Other resources
Research Sources
Students are encouraged to access the UTS Library for research. Most of the major academic journals and publications are available at either the City or Kuring-gai Campus libraries, although the more popular journals may be in Closed Reserve.
Students are strongly encouraged to use the Library PCs to access the Library's Worldwide Website using PCs, either through PCs with CD-ROMs or on selected PCs in the libraries and selected laboratories via the World-Wide Web at http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/ .
There is an online catalogue for the UTS Libraries plus Interlink access to a number of other University Library Catalogues in NSW and around Australia. Some other libraries have very powerful online access to various articles and publications, but many have very limited access to material. Students should not hesitate to contact the Faculty of Business librarians to help them identify other useful databases.
The best electronic database for business research is ABI/INFORM which is available in the Database section of the Library Website. Most of the major business academic journals and publications can be found in ABI/INFORM. However, ABI/INFORM only contains either an article abstract or a full-text version of the article, which often means that you may still have to seek the original article if you need tables, graphs or exhibits that are critical to explain principles covered in the article.
In some cases students may be able to obtain articles that are not in the Libraries by contacting the Faculty of Business Liaison Librarian who may be able to pick them up through the CARL/UNCOVER Service. Some articles that are not in ABI/INFORM may be in the CURRENT CONTENTS database also available in the Database section of the Library Website.
A number of marketing journals may not be in these databases but still may be in the Library collections.
Relevant journals, periodicals and publications that may assist students with research for case studies and other components might include:
- Academy of Management Journal
- Harvard Business Review
- Journal of Marketing
- Journal of Marketing Research
- Organization Science
- Sloan Management Review
- Strategic Management Journal
Business channels textbooks may be used in research but should not be the only or major references used. Students should ensure that all referencing conforms to the guidelines in the ‘Statement on Plagiarism’ Section.