Course 2026-2027 a.y.

20828 - BUSINESS AND MARKETING PLAN WORKSHOP

Department of Marketing


Student consultation hours

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 26
TS (3 credits - I sem. - OB  |  SECS-P/08)
Course Director:
CRISTIAN CHIZZOLI

Classes: 26 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 26: CRISTIAN CHIZZOLI


Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

This course is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in business and marketing planning in today’s rapidly evolving market environments. It adopts a dynamic blend of lectures, case discussions, guest speakers, and team-based projects to foster active learning and critical engagement with real-world challenges. Recognizing that the vitality, growth, and long-term sustainability of any business — whether a start-up or an established corporation — depend on the ability to design effective marketing strategies, the course emphasizes the need for these strategies to be both economically and financially viable, as well as environmentally and socially responsible. This holistic approach ensures that the marketing strategies developed today are resilient and future-ready, capable of addressing emerging global challenges and stakeholder expectations. The course aims to equip participants with hands-on experience in developing a Business Plan/Marketing Plan for a start-up. Particular emphasis is placed on designing ventures that are sustainable not only from an economic and financial perspective, but also in terms of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. The course highlights the strategic role of marketing in shaping sustainable business models and stresses the importance of translating analytical and strategic insights into coherent, actionable, and high-impact plans that can be effectively

CONTENT SUMMARY

The course will cover the following main topics:

 

  1. Introduction to Business and Marketing Planning: Concepts, Purpose, and Process

  2. The Business Plan: Objectives, Structure, and Development Methodologies

  3. The Strategic Role of Marketing in Business Success

  4. Crafting a Comprehensive Marketing Plan
    • External Environmental Analysis: Market Demand and Competitive Landscape
    • Internal Analysis: Brand Positioning and Performance Evaluation
    • Setting Strategic Objectives and Conducting a SWOT Analysis
    • Defining Marketing Actions and Budget Allocation for Effective Implementation

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Recognize the importance of strategic planning
  • Define the concepts of business and marketing plan
  • Describe the key role of marketing
  • Explain the main contents of a business and a marketing plan

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Analyze the market demand and evaluate its potential
  • Design an effective, innovative, and differentiated customer-based value proposition
  • Prepare and present a marketing plan
  • Discuss and assess the quality of a marketing plan from a potential investor's perspective

Teaching methods

  • Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
  • Practical Exercises
  • Collaborative Works / Assignments

DETAILS

The course will adopt a highly interactive format. In addition to traditional face-to-face lectures, it will incorporate the following learning activities:

 

  • In-Class Exercises – Practical sessions aimed at applying analytical tools to real-world scenarios.

  • Guest Speakers – Industry professionals who will share valuable insights and lead discussions on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) topics.

  • Group Project Activities – Collaborative projects that provide hands-on experience in developing and presenting an actual business and marketing plan.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Individual Works/ Assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
 x    
  • Collaborative Works / Assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
 x    
  • Active class participation (virtual, attendance)
 x    
  • Peer evaluation
 x    

ATTENDING STUDENTS

For attending students, evaluation (on a pass/fail basis) will be based on the following components:

 

  • Group Assignment – Students will develop a comprehensive marketing plan for a new start-up, which will be presented during the final session of the course.

  • Class Participation and Oral Presentation – Assessment will also consider active and meaningful participation in class discussions and activities, as well as the quality of the final group project presentation.


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

For non-attending students, assessment (on a pass/fail basis) will consist of a closed-book written examination. The exam will include a combination of multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and short exercises based on the concepts covered in the lecture slides and the required readings available on the learning platform.

The multiple-choice and open-ended questions are designed to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of the structure and content of both the business plan and the marketing plan. The short exercises are intended to evaluate students’ ability to apply this knowledge to brief real-world business scenarios.


Teaching materials


ATTENDING STUDENTS

Slides of the course


NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • Slides of the course
  • Readings available on Blackboard
Last change 12/05/2026 19:14