The Role of Marketing in an Integrative Business Curriculum

Abstract

In recent years, many business schools have developed integrative programs in response to a number of internal and external factors. Although the exact nature of these programs varies, a significant common element is a desire to impart to students appreciation, knowledge, and skills for cross-functional business situations. This article focuses on marketing’s key role. With its rich history on drawing from and contributing to other academic disciplines, marketing is in a powerful position to serve an important role in guiding and binding together other areas in an integrated program. The article provides guidance and background to marketing academicians, which allows them to add integrated components to existing classes and/or programs or begin the design of an integrated program.

An Integrative Experiential Learning Project in the Undergraduate Branding Course: Creating a Marketing Department Brochure

“…The integration of various course topics represents an opportunity for students to build on their earlier educational experiences and see interrelationships that exist among many subject areas (Barber et al, 2001;Bobbitt et al, 2000). In the typical undergraduate marketing curriculum (Appendix A), students acquire functional skills by taking several required courses and electives, and integration primarily occurs in the marketing strategy capstone course.…”

“…Within marketing education, there has been movement away from the functional silo approach and toward curriculum integration as evidenced by numerous articles reporting integrative projects (Barber, Borin, Cerf, & Swartz, 2001;Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, & Mayo, 2000;Darian & Coopersmith, 2001;Elam & Spotts, 2004;Laird, Prince, & Spence, 2003;McArthur, Hudson, Cook, Spotts, & Goldsmith, 2001;McKeage, Skinner, Seymour, Donahue, & Christensen, 1999;Sloan & McIntyre, 1993; see Crittenden & Wilson, 2006, for the extent of current integration). The majority of proposed integrative solutions rely on a concurrent approach that links the subject matters and learning experiences of two or more courses within the same semester (Sloan & McIntyre, 1993).…”

“…The majority of proposed integrative solutions rely on a concurrent approach that links the subject matters and learning experiences of two or more courses within the same semester (Sloan & McIntyre, 1993). This approach complements the broad curriculum integration achieved in the capstone marketing course (Barber et al, 2001). Although both approaches are valid solutions for the integration problem, we believe that a "selective" onecourse integration approach can be implemented in other marketing courses in addition to the capstone course.…”

In Defense of Silos: An Argument Against the Integrative Undergraduate Business Curriculum

“…It is interesting to note, Barber et al (2001) do not point out to the reader that AACSB Standard C.1.3 (of the 1991 standards) applies only to MBA and other general management master's programs. AACSB International does not currently require integration at the undergraduate level.…”

“…Thus, Barber et al's (2001) arguments are not applicable to undergraduate business curricula. Barber et al (2001) are not the only advocates of an integrated business curriculum to refer to the AACSB standard for MBA programs when discussing the undergraduate curriculum. Anthony, DeMoranville, and Aurand (2001) refered to the same AACSB standard when they advocated crossfunctional business programs.…”