Marketing and Advertising
(Progress Report Submitted in 2006)

BBA Marketing [36]

The primary mission of the marketing and advertising department is to prepare students for a professional career in marketing and/or advertising in the private and public sectors. The curriculum provides a solid foundation for students planning graduate study in marketing and business.

Contact person

Conway Rucks

Marketing and Advertising Department Chair
Professor
Reynolds Center, Room 212

ctrucks@ualr.edu
501-569-8862

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Program Goals

The goal of our program is to determine the degree to which our students have a comprehensive understanding of the major sub-topics in the area of marketing. Corrective action will be taken if it is determined that a deficiency exists in any marketing sub-topic.

These goals are directly related to the goals of the UALR Assessment Program in that our assessment systematically collects information about student academic achievement and the information is used to make decisions to improve our program.

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Program Objectives

The first objective of our assessment program is to determine the degree to which our students have a fundamental understanding of seven sub-topics in marketing: target marketing, marketing research, consumer behavior, product strategy, distribution strategy, promotion strategy, and pricing strategy.

The second objective is to insure that the students will be able to use what they have learned in the "real world". Toward that end, the questions asked in the assessment program attempt to measure both understanding of the concept and the ability to apply the concept.

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Brief Statement of Methods

A 70 question multiple choice test was administered to graduating seniors in marketing 4385, the capstone marketing class. The test was divided into 7 areas with 10 questions per area: target marketing, marketing research, consumer behavior, product strategy, distribution strategy, promotion strategy, and pricing strategy. While there are additional sub-topics in the marketing discipline, (international marketing, businesses to business marketing, etc.) These seven areas were chosen because they represent the core of the discipline. The test questions were chosen from a test bank for the most widely used principles of marketing text. Questions were chosen based on their reliability, and nomological validity. In addition, questions were chosen that enabled the student to demonstrate not only a fundamental knowledge of the topic area, but also the ability to apply the knowledge in a business environment.

On the measurement instrument, Questions 1 - 10 measure target marketing, 11-20 measure marketing research, 21-30 measure consumer behavior, 31-40 measure product strategy, 41-50 measure distribution strategy, 51-60 measure promotion strategy, and 61-70 measure pricing strategy. The test was graded not to determine a raw score, but rather to determine if a difference in scores exist between topic areas. The raw score is not relevant due to the fact that there is no method that can be employed to insure that the student is putting forth effort when completing the exam. The assumption of the method is that while some students will randomly fill out responses just to complete the assignment, others will try their best. Therefore, the only measure that can be employed to assess the students knowledge of the subject areas is inter-area differences.

Twelve marketing majors in Marketing 4385 took the test. The test was graded by determining the number of times a specific question was missed and by adding the total number of questions missed for each subtopic. Since there are 12 students, answering 10 questions per subtopic, there exists the possibility that there could be 120 incorrect answers per topic area.

Progress/Changes

No changes. The entire test was changed in 1998. In 2006, the test is identical to the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 versions. This is so that comparisons could be made between the periods to assess improvement or decline.

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Results and Use for Program Building

Findings

The following is the tabulation of incorrect responses for each of the subtopic areas. It is necessary to emphasize that the raw score is meaningless due to the fact that it is impossible to determine the amount of effort extended by the students. The only measure that is relevant is the degree to which a specific subtopic has more incorrect answers than the other.

As the table above indicates, the areas of marketing research, consumer behavior, and target marketing continued to maintain their high rankings. These findings are to be expected in that marketing research and consumer behavior are covered thoroughly in separate required courses. In addition, target marketing is covered briefly in Principles of Marketing, which all students took, and is covered again and in more detail in consumer behavior. The subject is now covered in another required course—Product and Service Strategy, as well. Product Strategy, a very important subtopic area, experienced a sharp increase in 2004 after a curriculum change requiring a course, and remained at the level in 2005. The percentage of total misses continued to decline in 2006. Promotional Strategy is also covered in a separate, required course, while other subjects are covered only in Principles of Marketing, the Marketing Management capstone course, plus other elective-only courses.

Pricing was ranked fifth, and it has been consciously addressed by the faculty because it is not covered in a separate, required course. It is covered briefly in Principles of Marketing, and, by design, partially, in two other required courses, Product and Service Strategy, and the capstone course, Marketing Strategy.

Promotions was ranked six of seven. A separate required course, Principles of Advertising, addresses a part of the subject area of promotion, but not all of it. The test also examines students’ knowledge of personal marketing communication, which is covered, after a brief introduction in Principles of Marketing, only in two elective courses, Sales Operations and Sales Management.

Distribution was the lowest-ranked subject area. Unfortunately, distribution is addressed specifically only in one elective course, and in portions of other courses, some of them also electives.

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Faculty and Stakeholder Involvement

All faculty were aware of the assessment test, and the method used. In addition, while there was some disagreement of regarding the subtopic areas, there was general agreement that the subtopic areas chosen represents the core of the discipline. The exam was developed by the entire faculty working together.

Current level of involvement from other stakeholders was minimal.

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