Discussion QuestionsQuestion 1 (200 words minimum)The

Discussion Questions
Question 1 (200 words minimum)
The value of a common stock is based on the present value of
the future cash flows that will accrue to that stock. Of course,
the present value calculation necessarily involves the use of a
required rate of return (a discount rate) which reflects the risk.
The textbook indicates that “To some extent, the two concepts
of P/E ratios and dividend valuation models can be brought
together. A stock that has a high required rate of return (Ke)
because it’s risky will generally have a low P/E ratio. Similarly,
a stock with a low required rate of return (Ke) because of the
predictability of positive future performance will normally have
a high P/E ratio” (Block et al, p. 322). In this discussion, you
will examine the relationship between a stock’s required rate of
return and its P/E ratio.
Initial Response:
For this discussion forum,
· Watch the video, Dividend Discount Model (DDM) (Links to
an external site.).
· Select a publicly traded company that pays dividends. You
may select any publicly traded company that pays dividends, or
choose one of the companies discussed in 65 Best Dividend
Stocks You Can Count On in 2021 (Links to an external site.).
· Determine the most recent stock price and the total dividends
paid over the past year.
· Calculate the current dividend yield on the stock.
· Calculate the required rate of return (Ke) for an investment in
the common stock. You should use formula 10-9 in the textbook
to do this calculation and use an assumed growth rate of 5%.
· Identify the current P/E ratio for the company from a source

such as Yahoo! Finance or Barron’s.
In your post,
· Show your calculations of the dividend yield and required rate
of return (Ke), and present the P/E ratio.
· Explain the relationship between your chosen
company’s Ke and P/E ratio and what that relationship indicates
about the risk of the company’s future cash flows.
· Explain whether the general relationship between a
high Ke and a low P/E ratio (or low Ke and high P/E ratio) is
supported by the data for your chosen publicly traded company.
· Predict the impact on the company’s stock price based on your
forecast that the company will grow its dividends by a rate
higher than 5%.
· Compare your company’s P/E ratio with the P/E ratios of two
other companies in its industry.
· Hypothesize which company in this industry should have the
lowest Ke based on the P/E comparisons.
· Summarize the connection between a company’s growth rate,
its required rate of return, and its value (stock price).
Your initial response should be a minimum of 200 words.
Graduate school students learn to assess the perspectives of
several scholars. Support your response with at least one
scholarly and/or credible resource in addition to the text.
Question 2 (200 words minimum)
In your initial post, discuss five MBA graduates with interesting
career titles and explain their current role based on their
LinkedIn profile details. You do not need to give the names of
the five people. Address the following in your post:
· Critique their titles and how they are using their degree.
· From these five roles, which one sounds the most interesting
to you and why?
· Are any of these roles in line with how you plan to use your
MBA after graduation?
· Would you consider pursuing any of these five roles?
· If you have not already created a LinkedIn profile, please do

so now or update your profile based on your research.
Your initial response should be a minimum of 200 words.
Graduate school students learn to assess the perspectives of
several scholars. Support your response with at least one
scholarly and/or credible resource in addition to the text.
MKT3010 Week 3 Project Rubric
Course: MKT3010-Marketing Management SU01
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–6)
6 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (7)
7 points
Proficient (B range)
(8)
8 points
Exemplary (A range)
(9–10)
10 points
Criterion Score

Summarized key
details about the
selected scenario
including details
about the firm
and/or product
line.
/ 10Did not identify
scenario or details
about firm or
product line.
Unsupported with
research.
Identified scenario,
firm, and product
line.
Lacked credible
research support.

Outlined scenario,
firm, and product
line.
Weakly supported
with research.
Summarized
scenario, firm, and
product line.
Sufficiently
supported with
research
Summary of key
details about
scenario, firm, and
product line was
compelling, with
well-developed
logical progression.

Well supported by
research.
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–20)
20 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (21–23)
23 points
(24–26)
26 points
Exemplary (A range)
(27–30)
30 points
Criterion Score
Assessed which of
Michael Porter’s
basic strategies
will be used to
market this

product and why.
stages in the
consumer decision
making process.
Unsupported with
research.
Identified strategies.
Lacked credible
research support.
Described strategies.
Weakly supported
with research.
Assessed strategies.
Sufficiently
supported with
research
Assessment of
strategies was

compelling, with
well-developed
Well supported by
research.
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–27)
27 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (28–31)
31 points
(32–35)
35 points
Exemplary (A range)
(36–40)
40 points
Criterion Score
Defended

selection of target
markets.
improvements to the
product line or
estimated cost.
Unsupported with
research.
Identified target
markets.
Lacked credible
research support.
Described target
markets.
Weakly supported
with research.
Defended target
markets.

Sufficiently
supported with
research
Defense of target
markets was
compelling and
showed well-
developed logical
progression.
Well supported by
research.
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–27)
27 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (28–31)
31 points
(32–35)

35 points
Exemplary (A range)
(36–40)
40 points
Criterion Score
Justified the
stages in the
consumer
decision making
process for
selected product.
/ 40Submission
contained no
discernible overall
intent in author’s
selection of
ideas.
Identified stages in
the consumer
decision making

process.
Lacked credible
research support.
Outlined stages in
the consumer
decision making
process.
Weakly supported
with research.
Justified stages in
the consumer
decision making
process for selected
product.
Sufficiently
supported with
research.
Justification of

stages in the
consumer decision
making process for
selected product was
compelling and
actionable, with
well-developed
Well supported by
research.
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–27)
27 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (28–31)
31 points

(32–35)
35 points
Exemplary (A range)
(36–40)
40 points
Criterion ScoreCriteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–27)
27 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (28–31)
31 points
(32–35)
35 points
Exemplary (A range)
(36–40)
40 points
Criterion Score
Justified where
improvements
should be made to
the product line

and estimated
cost.
/ 40Errors in basic
writing conventions
were sufficiently
numerous to prevent
reader
comprehension.
Identified
improvements to the
product line and
estimated cost.
Lacked credible
research support.
Described
improvements to the
product line and
estimated cost.

Weakly supported
with research.
Justified
improvements to the
product line and
estimated cost.
Sufficiently
supported with
research
Justification of
improvements to the
product line and
estimated costs were
compelling and
actionable, with
well-developed
Well supported by

research.
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–6)
6 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (7)
7 points
(8)
8 points
Exemplary (A range)
(9–10)
10 points
Criterion Score
Communication:
Use of tone, word
choice, audience,
transitions, and
progression of
ideas

strategies.
Unsupported with
research.
Submission
contained random
presentation of
ideas, which
prevents
understanding the
majority of author’s
overall intent.
Ideas were
presented in a way
that forced the
reader to make
repeated inferences
in order to identify
and follow the

author’s overall
intent.
The reader could
follow the author’s
overall intent as
stated.
The writer’s overall
argument and
language were clear
and tightly focused,
leaving the reader
with no room for
confusion about
author’s intent.
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–6)
6 points

Satisfactory (C
range) (7)
7 points
(8)
8 points
Exemplary (A range)
(9–10)
10 points
Criterion Score
Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–6)
6 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (7)
7 points
(8)
8 points
Exemplary (A range)
(9–10)
10 points

Criterion Score
Mechanics: Use of
grammar,
sentence
structure, and
spelling.
target markets.
Unsupported with
research.
Errors in basic
writing conventions
were sufficiently
numerous to prevent
reader
comprehension of
majority of the work.
Errors in basic

writing conventions
interfered with, but
did not prevent,
reader
comprehension.
The reader noticed a
few errors in basic
writing conventions
but these few errors
did not interfere with
reader
comprehension.
Text was basically
error free, so that a
reader had to
purposely search to
find any errors that
may be present.

Criteria
No Submission
0 points
Emerging (F through
D range) (1–13)
13 points
Satisfactory (C
range) (14–15)
15 points
(16–17)
17 points
Exemplary (A range)
(18–20)
20 points
Criterion Score
Academic/APA
Formatting: Use
of citations,
references, and
structural
formatting
including such

elements as title
page, running
head, page
numbers,
introduction,
headings (as
appropriate), and
conclusion.
/ 20No attempt at
Academic/APA
formatting in
presentation.
Academic/APA
format attempted,
but errors were
significant.
Academic/APA
format attempted
but errors were

distracting.
Used Academic/APA
format, accurately.
Errors were
noticeable but minor.
Used Academic/APA
format proficiently.
Text was basically
error free.
Total / 200
Overall Score
No Submission
0 points minimum
Emerging (F through D range)
1 point minimum
Satisfactory (C range)
140 points minimum
160 points minimum

Exemplary (A range)
180 points minimum
https://www.ama.org/the-definition-of-marketing-what-is-
marketing/
https://www.ama.org/the
-
definition
-
of
-
marketing
-
what
-
is
-
marketing/
https://www.ama.org/the-definition-of-marketing-what-is-
marketing/
Stages of the New Product Development
Process
© 2016 South University

of 2
Marketing Management
©2016 South University
2
Stages of the New Product Development Process
Week 3 Lecture 2
The product planning and development process is a systematic
approach that the firm must undertake while designing,
developing,
and launching new products. Once marketing managers have
used
marketing research to understand the needs of their target
market,
they need to create a new product development process based on
the research.
The new product development process consists of five stages:
1. The first stage is to generate ideas. This is where research
plays
a critical role since the needs identified in the target market

provide
the inspiration for new product ideas.
2. The next stage is to screen the ideas. Here, the consumer
panel
plays a key role in providing feedback on the ideas.
3. The next stage is the actual development and testing of the
product. Again, the consumer panel plays a key role in field-
testing
the product and providing feedback to improve the product.
4. The next stage is to test-market the product before its
commercial launch. In this stage, marketing managers often use
focus groups to get feedback on the product in the test market.
5. Finally, the product is launched, and the process starts all
over
again for a new product.
The product mix is the width and depth of a firm’s product line.
In
the two scenarios provided, select the width of the product line.
Page 3 of 2

3
Week 3 Lecture 2
The width of a product line means the variety of similar
products a
firm offers. For example, Ford Motor Company offers a width
of
products, from small economical cars to large trucks. On the
other
hand, the depth of a product line means the number of
variations of
a product offered by a firm. Ford Motor Company also offers
several different pickup truck models, from the small Ranger to
the
large Ford 350. The combination of the width and depth of a
firm’s
product line constitutes its offering to the marketplace. A firm
increases the width and depth of its product line so as to serve
new
market segments and better serve existing customers,
respectively. Both width and depth are critical to the success of
a
firm. For example, in addition to motorcycles, Harley-Davidson
offers its customers leather jackets, boots, and other related
products favored by Harley-Davidson riders.
The combination of the width and depth of a firm’s product line
constitutes its offering to the marketplace. : A firm increases

the
width and depth of its product line so as to serve new market
segments and better serve existing customers, respectively. Both
width and depth are critical to the success of a firm. For
example,
in addition to motorcycles, Harley-Davidson offers its
customers
leather jackets, boots, and other related products favored by
Harley-Davidson riders.
At other times, increasing the width of the product line involves
developing flanking brands. A firm develops flanking brands to
serve the needs of different segments of the markets it is
serving.
Coca-Cola is a good example of this type of branding strategy.
The
Coca-Cola Company offers a variety of soft drinks. Its flagship
brand, Coca-Cola, has variants such as Coca-Cola, Cherry Coke,
Page 4 of 2
4
Week 3 Lecture 2

and Diet Coke. The company also offers flanking brands, such
as
Sprite, Orange Sunkist, Mr. Pibb, and Fanta, to increase the
width
of its product line.
Product Planning and Development
Page 2 of 2
2

Week 3 Lecture 1
Utility Types and Research Methods
A product is the foundation of the marketing mix and the
beginning
of an organization’s marketing strategy. It is the need-based
offering of an organization. In economic terms, it creates either
form or task utility.
Form utility is applied when raw materials are combined with
labor
to create a physical good of value. Company X uses raw rubber
combined with steel to form steel-belted tires. Therefore, it
represents form utility. On the other hand, task utility is applied
when labor is used to provide a service. Company Y provides
spa
services, which involve physical labor. Therefore, it represents
task
utility. It is important for organizations to be aware of these
utility
types. Too often, organizations develop products they are
interested in producing rather than conducting research to see
what the consumers’ needs actually are.
To make a product successful, an organization requires a good
product plan. Good product planning and development starts
with
conducting research on the target market to determine its needs
and wants. There are three research methods of determining
consumer needs and wants. These methods are focus groups,

consumer panels, and ladder interviews.
demographics and psychographics of the target market. An
organization usually sends its consumer panel test products for
feedback. A focus group is one of the most common methods of
conducting consumer research. In this method, marketing
managers gather consumers to get their views on product ideas
or
Page 3 of 2
3
Week 3 Lecture 1
to explore what they are looking for in a new product. A ladder
interview is a personal interview in which individuals are asked
a
series of questions about a product and how they use it.
Together,
these three research methods provide an organization with input
on the needs of the target market and how the organization can
fulfill those needs with its product.

Branding Strategies
Page 2 of 2
2
Branding Strategies
Week 3 Lecture 3
Firms create a brand identity by developing an easily
recognized

brand name. The brand name is then associated with desirable
attributes and product benefits. The association of these
attributes
with the brand name results in a successful branding strategy.
Brand positioning is an essential element of a winning branding
strategy.
“Brand positioning” is the term used to describe how a firm's
brands are located relative to competitive products in the minds
of
the consumers. A brand’s position is based on the consumer's
perception of that brand and of competing brands. Companies
determine this position by measuring consumer attitudes and
plotting them relative to competing brands. Since Starbucks has
marketed its coffee as a premium coffee, consumers are willing
to
pay more to get that superior taste.
Developing a brand position
Marketing managers start the process of positioning a firm’s
brand
by identifying the position of the brand and then locating it
relative
to the competitors’ brands with regard to desired attributes such
as
price, quality, and other features. The managers generally use a
perceptual map—a graph with a vertical and a horizontal scale,
one for each desired attribute. Once the firm determines the
current market position of its brand relative to the desired
position,
it then needs to move the brand to the desired position. To do
this,
the firm develops an integrated marketing communication
campaign with the goal of changing the consumer's attitudes
toward the brand. This campaign should serve to alter the

consumer's image of the product to the one the firm chooses.
Branding Strategies
Firms create a brand identity by developing an easily
recognized brand name. The brand name is then associated
with desirable attributes and product bene�ts. The association
of these attributes with the brand name results in
a successful branding strategy. Brand positioning is an essential
element of a winning branding strategy. "Brand
positioning" is the term used to describe how a �rm's brands
are located relative to competitive products in the
minds of the consumers. A brand's position is based on the
consumer's perception of that brand and of competing
brands. Companies determine this position by measuring
consumer attitudes and plotting them relative to
competing brands.
An example is Starbucks. Starbucks has marketed its coffee as a
premium coffee; hence consumers are willing to
pay more to get that perceived superior taste.
Marketing managers start the process of positioning a �rm's
brand by identifying the current position of the
brand and then locating it relative to the competitors' brands
with regard to desired attributes such as price,
quality, and other features. The managers generally use a
perceptual map—a graph with a vertical and a horizontal
scale, one for each desired attribute. Once the �rm determines
the current market position of its brand relative to

the desired position, it then needs to move the brand to the
desired position. To do this, the �rm develops an
integrated marketing communication campaign with the goal of
changing the consumer's attitudes toward the
brand. This campaign should serve to alter the consumer's
image of the product to the one the �rm chooses.
The American Marketing Association (AMA) de�nes a brand as
a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a
combination of them intended to identify the goods and services
of one seller or group of sellers and to
differentiate them from those of other sellers" (Brand, 2007,
para. 118)
Therefore, it makes sense to understand that branding is not
about getting your target market to choose you over
the competition. It is about getting your prospects to see you as
the only one that provides a solution to their
problem.
To succeed in branding, you must understand the needs and
wants of your customers and prospects by
integrating your brand strategies at every point of public contact
in your company.
Your brand resides within the hearts and minds of customers,
clients, and prospects. It is the sum total of their
experiences and perceptions, some of which you can in�uence
and some that you cannot.
A strong brand is invaluable as the battle for customers
intensi�es day by day. It's important to spend time
investing in researching, de�ning, and building your brand.
After all, your brand is the source of a promise of
quality products and services to your consumer. It's a
foundational piece in your marketing communication and

one you do not want to be without.
Reference:
Brand (2007).American Marketing Association
Additional Materials
View a Pdf Transcript of Branding Strategies
(media/transcripts/Week_1/SUO_MKT3010%20W3%20L3.pdf?
_&d2lSessionVal=c5XpM4qciRJZShXpP1mm48ljV&ou=83096)
https://www.ama.org/resources/Pages/Dictionary.aspx
https://myclasses.southuniversity.edu/content/enforced/83096-
17097493/media/transcripts/Week_1/SUO_MKT3010%20W3%2
0L3.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=c5XpM4qciRJZShXpP1mm48ljV&o
u=83096
The product planning and development process is a systematic
approach that the �rm must undertake while
designing, developing, and launching new products. Once
marketing managers have used marketing research to
understand the needs of their target market, they need to create
a new product development process based on
the research. The new product development process consists of
�ve stages:

1. The �rst stage is to generate ideas. This is where research
plays a critical role since the needs identi�ed in
the target market provide the inspiration for new product ideas.
2. The next stage is to screen the ideas. Here, the consumer
panel plays a key role in providing feedback on the
ideas.
3. The next stage is the actual development and testing of the
product. Again, the consumer panel plays a key
role in �eld-testing the product and providing feedback to
improve the product.
4. The next stage is to test-market the product before its
commercial launch. In this stage, marketing
managers often use focus groups to get feedback on the product
in the test market.
5. Finally, the product is launched, and the process starts all
over again for a new product.
The product mix is the width and depth of a �rm's product line.
The combination of the width and depth of a �rm's
product line constitutes its offering to the marketplace. A �rm
increases the width and depth of its product line so
as to serve new market segments and better serve existing
customers, respectively. Both width and depth are
critical to the success of a �rm. For example, in addition to
motorcycles, Harley-Davidson offers its customers
leather jackets, boots, and other related products favored by
Harley-Davidson riders.
Supplemental/Transitional/Introductory Text:
Managing Products

The product life cycle is one of the most powerful tools
available to marketing managers. Every product category
goes through �ve stages—development, introduction, growth,
maturity, and decline—and the product strategy
changes with each stage.
Development: This stage marks the development of an idea into
a product. During this stage, sales are zero and
the company costs keep building up.
Introduction: The product is introduced in the market, and the
focus is on increasing sales. The heavy expenses at
this stage rarely result in pro�ts.
Growth: During this stage, the product sees growing market
acceptance and pro�ts.
Maturity: The product is accepted by most of its potential
buyers and faces rising competition in the market. The
sales growth begins to slow down, along with the leveling off or
decline of pro�ts.
Decline: This is the stage when the product is said to be "dying"
and its sales start to decline.
View a Pdf Transcript of Stages in the New Product
Development Process

https://myclasses.southuniversity.edu/content/enforced/83096-
u=83096
A product is the foundation of the marketing mix and the
beginning of an organization's marketing strategy. It is
the need-based offering of an organization. In economic terms,
it creates either form or task utility. Form utility is
applied when raw materials are combined with labor to create a
physical good of value. Company X uses raw
rubber combined with steel to form steel-belted tires. Therefore,
it represents form utility. On the other hand,
task utility is applied when labor is used to provide a service.
Company Y provides spa services, which involve
physical labor. Therefore, it represents task utility. It is
important for organizations to be aware of these utility
types. Too often, organizations develop products they are
interested in producing rather than conducting
research to see what the consumers' needs actually are. To make
a product successful, an organization requires a
good product plan. Good product planning and development
starts with conducting research on the target
market to determine its needs and wants. There are three
research methods of determining consumer needs and
wants. These methods are focus groups, consumer panels, and
ladder interviews.
Consumer panel : is a long-term advisory group comprising
consumers who match the demographics and
psychographics of the target market. An organization usually
sends its consumer panel test products for

feedback.
Focus group : is one of the most common methods of
conducting consumer research. In this method, marketing
managers gather consumers to get their views on product ideas
or to explore what they are looking for in a new
product.
Ladder Interview : is a personal interview in which individuals
are asked a series of questions about a product and
how they use it.
A product strategy is a response to the marketing objective
formulated after performing a strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, threats, and trends (SWOTT) analysis and a
market growth strategy analysis. Regardless of
whether the organization pursues a new product growth strategy
or an existing one, tactical decisions need to be
made concerning the following key issues:
Features and design: Features are what differentiate a product
from its competitors in the market. Design
can be a crucial element in differentiating and positioning the
product in the market. Design includes the
physical and functional aspects of the product.
Variety and quality: Variety in a product refers to slight
differences in the attributes of the product. The
quality of a product refers to its ability to ful�ll its role and
deliver the bene�ts it is supposed to offer.
Branding, packaging, and labeling: A brand can be a symbol, a
name, or a design that identi�es an
organization and its products. Therefore, one of the key roles of
a marketer is to develop, enhance, and
preserve the brand. As the package is the customers' �rst

contact with the product, it is essential that the
product be packaged well. A well-designed package and
labeling may be required to emphasize the bene�ts
or features of a product.
Support services: Support services supplement the actual
product offering. Although some organizations
may not offer these services, the ones that do easily gain an
advantage over their competitors.
View a Pdf Transcript of Product Planning and Development
https://myclasses.southuniversity.edu/content/enforced/ 83096-
u=83096

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