Participants in HEC’s MBA program have a variety of expectations towards the core Marketing class. While some students intend to take on a marketing position following their studies, others seek job opportunities in other functions. Similarly, some students already target specific industries or companies, while others expect an exposure to different industries and firms as the MBA program unfolds.

To address this diversity of student backgrounds and expectations, the present class aims at providing participants with a broad overview of the discipline. As a consequence, this course exposes students to diverse companies and markets both in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and business markets (B2B).

For those who would like to specialize in Marketing, our Department offers a Marketing Concentration with a wide array of electives.

More than any other business function, marketing deals with customers. Philip Kotler, a renowned marketing specialist, once wrote: "Marketing is not the art of finding clever ways to dispose of what you make. Marketing is the art of creating genuine customer value. It is the art of helping your customer become better off. The marketer's watchwords are quality, service and value."

This class exposes students to the fundamental concepts, mechanisms, and terminologies of marketing, and provides them with an understanding of how they are applied to both businesses and non-profit organizations.

The objectives of the course are:

1. To provide students with an understanding of the key principles of marketing,

2. To develop the framework of how companies plan, implement, and control marketing strategies and actions,

3. To study the relevant marketing tools and elements of the marketing-mix,

4. To explain marketing’s relationship to other departments within the firm and to the market environment.

In parallel to the class, students conduct a marketing project during the semester. This exercise is aimed at allowing participants to practice the concepts and frameworks discussed in class. Student teams present their findings during a final session at the end of the semester.

Overview of Jean-Noel Kapferer's course:

• Donner le goût du marketing, même si vous n’en faites pas après 
• Présenter une vue d'ensemble des fonctions du Directeur de Marketing
• Faire acquérir aux participants les  principaux  concepts, outils et  méthodes nécessaires en marketing : partir du client , aligner l’entreprise sur la satisfaction du client, bâtir un capital de marque
• Acquérir une méthodologie rigoureuse d’approche et de résolution des problèmes de marketing
• Apprendre  aux étudiants à formaliser une recommandation d’action  et à la vendre dans leur entreprise , comme s’ils étaient déjà des consultants chevronnés consultés sur un problème aigü
• Permettre aux étudiants de tester très tôt leur savoir marketing  grâce à l’Audit Marketing ( mission de conseil en entreprise ,parallèlement au cours)

Structure de cours

• La démarche et le raisonnement marketing: partir du client
• L'approche stratégique : la segmentation des marchés et le positionnement de la marque
• Le marketing mix en action: la création de valeur en pratique  dans  les  marchés les plus divers pour une plus grande fidélisation des clients
• Manager l’expérience client multicanal : produits/ service /points de vente/web
• Innovation et compétition dans les marchés matures ou émergents
• Quelle stratégie globale à l’international ?