cpart of learning is the ability to transfer concepts and thought

cpart of learning is the ability to transfer concepts and thought structures from one frame of reference to another.  To achieve that level of learning, the application paper asks you to individually apply concepts/topical areas from the course to a specific business setting.  It is perfectly acceptable to target your organization or an organization you would like to join.

Potential topics include but are not limited to developments in products and service provision, distribution systems, traditional and new media and pricing.  Applying any strategic innovation is also valuable.

Each student will submit, online in the Assignments area, a write- up (limited to two standard pages, 1.5 spaced, 12 point font, one inch margins around) of a Spotlight which is a news story concerning theoretical, strategic or tactical developments in marketing.  You may craft the paper in outline/bullet point form or in prose (i.e., paragraph) form depending on the need and your preference.

The sources of the stories can be academic marketing literature (e.g., Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Consumer Research, or the Journal of Brand Management), industry sources (e.g., Brand Week or Advertising Age), or popular news vehicles (e.g., The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, or Fortune).  General interest publications such as Time and Newsweek sometimes carry features with valuable information. If the Web is used to generate the story, the student should take step to ensure accuracy.  This might include checking alternative sources.

The appropriate news story is one that relates to the course’s topic/concepts.  Your write-up should go beyond a simple summary and be used to illustrate points in the chapter and/or supplemental readings. There is broad latitude in what is considered acceptable as a Spotlight; however, the presenter must be prepared to describe how the news fits into the subject matter week as well as the reason for his/her interest in it.  A copy of the news story should be provided to the instructor. A grade of zero will be assigned to papers that are late, simply summarize the readings, or do not clearly demonstrate adequate thought about the topic. A random sample of students each night will be asked to present their Spotlight to the class.