Main Content
Syllabus
AGBM 302 (GS) Food Product Marketing (3)
Analysis of economic and psychological determinants of the demand for food; marketing decisions in an increasingly consumer-driven food system.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies
Overview
Food marketing can be approached from many different angles.
- Food marketers act to accomplish business objectives.
- Policy makers have a keen interest in food marketing for two reasons: (i) to learn food marketing practices that can be applied to promote the consumption and production of foods that contribute to a social good (e.g. health, environment); and (ii) to better regulate food markets (e.g. food safety, false advertising, etc.) when markets fail.
- Scientists approach food marketing with the goals of achieving a deeper understanding of how the food system works and to produce accurate measurements of the past that can then be used to predict the future.
- Citizens necessarily must interact with and are affected by food marketing. We all buy and consume food. It is literally what we are made of. As a person you benefit by being informed about the food marketing and the food system and food in general.
Instead of restricting ourselves to just one perspective, we will at various times look at food marketing from all four. Primarily, however, we will employ food marketers perspectives. Indeed, to be a successful marketer of food products, it behooves you to be aware of policy makers interests and dictates, and the insights of food economists, behavioral psychologists, and other scientists.
Another dimension along which Food Products Marketing must be positioned is in the food chain. All of you have experienced food product marketing as a consumer. Food marketing, however, occurs all along the food chain: from the farmer, to agents and brokers, to producers, to distributors, to retailers, and finally to consumers. This course will span food marketing all along the food chain, but will be centered on the producer-retailer-consumer portion of the food chain.
Course Objectives
- Identify the determinants of demand for a product.
- Analyze how changes in market conditions and product characteristics will affect the demand for a product.
- Understand the key psychological issues that are relevant to food demand.
- Understand the key demographic issues related to changing trends in consumption of food.
- Identify the agencies that regulate food markets.
- Understand the important food policies and their implications for the demand of various products.
- Present market information graphically.
- Effectively use presentation software to make coherent oral presentations.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You can view the Online Students' Library Guide for more information.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and services. Once you have a Penn State account, you will automatically be registered with the library within 24–48 hours. If you would like to determine whether your registration has been completed, visit the Libraries home page and select My Account.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Your grades will come from 2 sources: your individual effort and team presentations. You should expect to spend approximately 8 hours each week working on this course (see PSU Policy 42-23).
| Activity | Points |
|---|---|
| Individual Effort (590 Points) | |
Activities (15 activities worth 12 points each)
| 180 |
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Case Study Activities (4 activities worth 20 points each)
| 80 |
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Discussions (9 discussions worth 10 points each)
| 90 |
| Quizzes (10 lesson quizzes worth 20 points each and 1 summative quiz in lesson 8 worth 40 points) | 240 |
| Team Effort (410 Points) | |
|
Group Activities (7 activities worth 10 points each)
| 70 |
| Group Marketing Plan | 200 |
| Peer Evaluations | 75 |
| Presentation | 65 |
| Total Points | 1,000 + 13 Bonus Points |
Individual Effort (590 points)
Assignments are not to be performed in groups. I am at your service should you need help. Late assignments will be accepted with a 20% DAILY penalty. This means that missing the deadline will automatically result in a 20% penalty. Submitting the assignment one day late will result in a 40% penalty and so on. No late assignments will be accepted after the assignment has been graded.
Activities (180 points)
Assignments are designed to help you understand the material by giving you an engaging opportunity to think deeper about the concepts. There will be 15 assignments throughout the semester and each one will be worth 12 points.
Case Study Activities (80)
There are four case studies and related activities worth 20 points each.
Discussions (90 points)
Weekly discussion forums are designed to help you think critically about weekly topics and discuss topics with your classmates for further absorption. There will be 9 discussions throughout the semester and each one will be worth 10 points.
A Note About Discussions: In marketing, demographic and lifestyle characteristics are often discussed. Often this leads to generalizations about race and other sensitive aspects about groups of people. This can lead to stereotypes and clichés that offend people, especially on a discussion board where tone, facial expressions, and body language cannot be observed. Despite this, I encourage discussants to make generalizations about people.
We all have had enough personal experience to posit hypotheses such as, “Yoga millennials are prone to believe scientifically unproven health claims especially when the term Natural is involved.” Determining whether or not that comment is true requires defining its terms, and doing rigorous market research. Nevertheless, such a hypothesis is useful in marketing, and is based on personal experience (and suggestive market research).
The syllabus for Adams State University's ED 589 course (a capstone course called Teaching, Learning, and the Brain, 2014) instructs students on how to properly complete a discussion assignment. We would like to reiterate a few of the points here:
Please be courteous. Don't flame (i.e., post insults, invective, or other personally disrespectful comments) or post flamebait (i.e., deliberately provocative or manipulative material intended or likely to elicit flames). Please be careful in the use of sarcasm and irony. Online communication lacks the subtle nonverbal cues that help us interpret such rhetorical flourishes in face-to-face settings, so that it is easy to miss the point or misunderstand. More importantly, it is easy to give or take offense where none is intended. Accordingly, give people the benefit of the doubt, and if you are misunderstood, don't get defensive [remember to use "I" statements]. You might also consider using such rhetorical devices somewhat less in this medium than you would in ordinary conversation, as they are generally less effective here" (p. 3).
We must trust that everyone in the class is well intentioned. If you are offended, or think you have offended someone, discuss the offense and resolve the issue. Try to work it out on your own through debate, considerate discussion, and compassion. If that does not work, feel free to use me as a moderator.
Quizzes (240 points)
There will be ten quizzes each worth 20 points and a summative quiz in lesson 8 worth 40 points. The reason for having these quizzes is to check comprehension of weekly reading materials. This is important because many activities and discussion forums build from these readings.
Team Effort (410 points)
You will form groups of 4 marketers for the purpose of developing a marketing plan.
You will be asked to create a product/service which follows under one of the food trends discussed in the first part of the semester. A 15 page or less report will be due as indicated in the course outline - you will be required to submit the report both electronically and as hard copy. The points that you will receive will depend on the quality of the report. Past marketing plans have been impressive. I expect the same from you! More information will be provided.
Group Activities (70 points)
There are seven activities that will help you prepare for the group marketing plan, each worth 10 points.
Marketing Plan (200 points – team grade)
You will be asked to create a food (or agricultural) product or service and apply tools and concepts learned in class in a simulated marketing exercise.
Presentation (65 points – team grade)
At the end of the semester each group will be asked to give a presentation of their marketing plan. Business casual attire is required. Not all the members of each group will be asked to speak, although you ALL must be present during the recording. More information will be provided.
Peer evaluations (75 points)
In order to deter free riding behavior and to reward those that dedicate more time and effort to the group project, individual effort will be measured via peer evaluations. You will be asked to evaluate yourself and each one of your teammates based on the WD Peer Evaluation found in the course menu. You will evaluate yourself and each of your teammates and assign a score between 1 and 5 according to four distinct metrics (cooperation, dependability & commitment, participation, and quality of work). The resulting score be the basis of your peer evaluation score.
Bonus Activities (13 points)
There are three bonus activities worth a total of thirteen (13) points. This is your opportunity to earn a little extra credit.
Grading Scale
The following grading scale provides minimum letter grades for corresponding percent numerical grades. I reserve the right to bump your letter grade up if I determine that your numerical grade did not capture a positive aspect of your activities or contribution to the class. For instance, if you participate a lot in class, bring insights to the course (e.g. excellent examples of discussed principles), demonstrate intellectual enthusiasm, are helpful to others, and so on, then I may reward you with a higher grade. However, in no case will I lower your grade.
Letter grade values
| Numerical Value | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 93 and above | A |
| 90-92.99 | A- |
| 88-89.99 | B+ |
| 83-87.99 | B |
| 80-82.99 | B- |
| 78-79.99 | C+ |
| 70-77.99 | C |
| 60-69.99 | D |
| Below 60 | F |
Note: A grade of C or better is required to pass this course.
Please see rubrics for individual assignments for specifics on assignment preparation and expectations.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments. Note that assignments are due based on Eastern Time (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live. All lesson assignments must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the last day of the timeframe indicated below for the lesson.
Appetizer: History of Food and Marketing (L1)
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Main Dish: Marketing Yesterday and Today (L2)
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Main Dish: Marketing Environment (L3)
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Main Dish: Target Markets - Segmentation by Geography, Demographics, and Usage (L4)
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Main Dish: Target Markets - Segmentation by Psychography, Consumer Profiles and Putting It All Together (L5)
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Main Dish: FDA Regulated Labels (L6)
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Main Dish: Third-Party Labels and Food Product Marketing Trends (L7)
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Intermezzo: Marketing Plan Process and Constructs (L8)
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Spring Break
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First Side Dish: Product Strategy (L9)
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Second Side Dish: Distribution Strategy (L10)
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Third Side Dish: Promotional Strategy (L11)
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Fourth Side Dish: Pricing Strategy (L12)
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Dessert: Marketing Plans (L13-15)
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Academic Integrity
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating of information or citations, facilitating academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of others. Sanctions imposed for acts of academic dishonesty may include receiving an “F” for the course, being reported to the College for academic dishonesty, or expulsion from the University. All course participants are expected to adhere to the University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
You are encouraged to discuss concepts, ideas, and assignments with other students. The work you turn in will represent your integration of information from the readings, books, journal articles, other people, and your own ideas. You must accurately reference any material copied verbatim or summarized directly from other sources, including case studies from previous semesters of this course and/or other courses. If you thought it through, and have written it down in your own words, it meets my criterion as your own work. Keep in mind that if you copy text from any source, without appropriately citing your sources and reporting such text as a “direct citation” you may be accused of plagiarism.
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Course Policies
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
All students in "Registration Not Complete" status must resolve issues on or before the 10th day after classes begin. Students who do not complete registration by paying tuition and fees by this deadline will not be able to remain in nursing clinical courses. University policy on completing registration can be found at http://www.registrar.psu.edu/registration/completing_registration.html.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles