Main Content
Syllabus
MKTG 476: Sales Management
MKTG 476: Sales Management (3 credits). Application of modern management principles to field sales force planning, organization, and administration; selection, training, and compensation plans.
Overview | Course Goals | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
Focused on effective and efficient sales force management for maximum performance, this course is of interest to those interested in a career involving professional selling and sales management. The responsibilities and techniques of managing a sales force will be addressed along with appropriate theories and concepts.
Prerequisites: MKTG 301 and MGMT 301
Course Goals
The goals of this course are to
- have you learn and understand the basic and essential principles and concepts of sales management in the global marketplace,
- increase your awareness and knowledge of the role that sales plays within a company’s dynamic micro and macro environments,
- provide a foundation for further in-depth study of sales management as a career, and
- enlighten your perspective on how technology is changing the way sales are conducted cross-culturally and around the globe.
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.
Library Resources
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 must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
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. |
|---|---|
| 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
The course requires you to complete assignments individually and in groups.
Requirement 1: Three Exams (individual; 30% of your total grade)
Exams may contain multiple-choice questions and will sample from both the general concepts and the details presented in the text, assigned readings, and material discussed in class. To succeed on the exams, it is imperative that you read all the online content, work on the self-check exercises, and participate in the discussion forums.
No makeup exams will be given. Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances as determined by the instructor and acknowledged before the missed exam. In the rare case that a makeup exam is administered, it will usually be a different exam that is longer and more thorough than the exam given in class.) Missing a scheduled exam will result in a zero for that examination.
Requirement 2: Role-Plays (team and individual; 15% of your total grade)
There will be two role-play activities. One is a team role-play activity embedded in Lesson 3, and the other is an individual interview activity embedded in Lesson 6. In those role-play activities, students will make a video recording and submit their recording for review.
Requirement 3: Case Analysis (group; 10% of your total grade)
We will have one case analysis group assignment. You will work in your role play group. Case assignments are due as shown in the schedule. You are expected to be prepared to discuss and write a case analysis paper as assigned. Each group member is expected to contribute to the group discussion. The case analysis paper should be approximately six pages of text (not including references, appendices, charts, the table of contents, and the cover page). The high-quality paper will show an excellent understanding of course ideas and the case along with accurate application of appropriate frameworks and tools. It will offer a clear, direct analysis and well-argued position supported with course material. The case analysis should demonstrate your ability to assess a situation and strategize about how to improve it and avoid future problems. Acknowledge when you are making assumptions or predictions.
Requirement 4: Excel Forecasting Quizzes (individual; 10% of your total grade)
Two quizzes will test your ability to create moving average and exponential smoothing forecasts based on historical sales data, and the visual representation of Sales Statistics.
Requirement 5: One-Minute Sales Pitch Video (individual; 5% of your total grade)
Create a short video to make any type of sales pitch you choose. The video should be one minute long and should “sell” the viewer on some aspect(s) about your offering.
Requirement 6: Learning Journals (individual; 10% of your total grade)
There are a lot of self-check activities in the course. They are designed to provide you with questions and additional resources to guide and reflect your learning of the course. There will be three submissions of the learning journals in the course (see the specific due dates in the schedule). The learning journals should focus on (but not be limited to) your personal responses to the self-check activities in the course and reflection on your learning experience. For example, what was your "aha" moment, when something you had been reading or contemplating suddenly made sense, or when you discovered a new way of thinking about the topics in the course?
Requirement 7: Lesson Assignment Submissions (individual; 10% of your total grade)
There are four individual lesson assignment submissions in the first four lessons.
Requirement 8: Discussion Participation (10% of your total grade)
Your participation in the discussion forums during this course will be monitored and graded. You are evaluated both on your new posts to the discussions and your responses to your classmates.
Most lessons require you to participate in the class discussion by posting your answers/opinions to discussion questions. You can participate in two ways. First, you should post your own answer/opinion on the discussion board. Second, you should respond to your classmates' answers/opinions.
The following aspects can increase your participation grade:
- You participate in all discussion topics during the course and participate during the week that this discussion is taking place. Not participating, either by not posting your own answers/opinions or responding to others, will lead to a lower participation grade, as will participating too late (that is, after the week in which the respective discussion is going on).
- Quality is more important than quantity. The number of comments does not affect your grade; rather, the quality of your responses matters. Quality participation can be achieved by posting things that provide new insights to your classmates. These can consist of good examples, insightful posts, or posts helping your classmates understand the materials of this course by providing accurate answers to them. Furthermore, you are encouraged to think outside of the box instead of just providing straightforward posts.
Grading Scheme
| Category of assessment | Points per assessment | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Exams | 3 @ 100 points | 30% |
| 2. Role-Play Activities | 2 @ 100 points | 15% |
| 3. Case Analysis | 1@ 100 points | 10% |
| 4. Excel Forecasting Quizzes | 2 @ 100 points | 10% |
| 5. One-Minute Sales Pitch Video | 1 @ 100 points | 5% |
| 6. Learning Journals | 3 @ 20 points | 10% |
| 7. Lesson Assignment Submission | 4@ 10 points | 10% |
| 8. Discussion Participation | 5 @ 10 points + 2 @ 5 points | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
| Numerical value | Letter grade |
|---|---|
| 93.00 and above | A |
| 90.00–92.99 | A- |
| 87.00–89.99 | B+ |
| 83.00–86.99 | B |
| 80.00–82.99 | B- |
| 75.00–79.99 | C+ |
| 70.00–74.99 | C |
| 60.00–69.99 | D |
| Below 59.99 | F |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
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.
Deadlines
The deadlines for the graded assignments in this course follow. Note that a week in this course is defined as starting at 12:00 a.m. (ET) Monday and ending at 11:59 p.m. (ET) Sunday. The deadlines are always at the end of a specific week.
Make sure that you finish your activities before the given deadline. For every day that the activity is late, 20% will be deducted from your grade for that activity. If extraordinary circumstances may prevent you from meeting a deadline, you need to contact me four days in advance by e-mail.
Late Policy
Late Assignments will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to contact the instructor prior to the due date of an assignment if you are aware of extenuating circumstances that will impact your ability to meet a deadline. The instructor will determine if alternative arrangements may be made.
Blank or Erroneous Assignment Submissions
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have uploaded the correct document to each assignment prior to the assignment due date. Please check your assignment submission immediately after uploading a file in Canvas to ensure that it contains content and is the correct file. If you notice an error, such as a blank or incorrect file, you must resubmit the assignment before the assignment due date. Similarly, you are responsible for ensuring that discussion forum initial posts are not blank and that any website URL submissions (such as links to documents, video recordings, etc.) have the correct sharing settings enabled so that they can be viewed by recipients. Any blank or erroneous submissions that you have not resubmitted by the assignment due date will receive a zero for the assignment.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The schedule that follows 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 the North American eastern time (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live.
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| Time frame: | Week 11 |
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| Time frame: | Week 15 |
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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.
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.
Academic Integrity
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 .
Accommodating Disabilities
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.
Additional Policies
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.
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and Military Personnel
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.
Privacy Notice
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.Student Responsibilities and Conduct
- 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 Values.
Report Bias
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.