WIMI Classes
WHARTON INTERACTIVE MEDIA INITIATIVE COURSE DEVELOPMENT
The emergence of new forms of interactive media has created a completely new and ever-changing marketing and media economy that demands new mindsets, new business models and new skill sets. To prepare Wharton undergraduate and MBA students for the demands of this new environment, and to draw prospective students to the Wharton School for the study of interactive media, the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative is continuously developing courses that will train students in several critical aspects of interactive media to deal with these global, macro-issues: • The importance of the data generated through interactive media in holistic decision-making
• The transformation process: understanding the shift from traditional business models and marketing strategies to those dominating the interactive media world
• Fundamentals of interactive media that build into advanced learning required to master critical issues brought about by disruptive, interactive business models
• The interdisciplinary nature of marketing in the emerging interactive media environment: Courses developed by the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative will introduce students to varied perspectives needed to succeed in the new economy
With these principals in mind and the ability to be responsive to the changing interactive media environment, the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative offers the following courses, for the Fall 2009 term to introduce students to issues facing today’s professionals and give them the skills and insight needed to distinguish the students in the new marketplace.
MKTG394 – Interactive Media Marketing
Using the construct of the former MKTG394 as a springboard, this course will examine how media companies, especially companies caught in the turmoil of content and distribution challenges, are shifting business models to take advantage of interactive media. This course serves as a foundational step in understanding the shift of control to users/consumers of media and subsequent effects on established business models. By examining the shift as it relates to large, well-known brands, students will be able to experience, real-time, the impact of interactive media. Courses that may grow from this include deeper dives into particular industry verticals, examination of new distribution channels and methods, content generation (including UGC) for an interactive environment, and a host of independent study projects with WIMI Corporate Partners. The syllabus is available here.
MKTG668 – Monetizing Emerging Interactive Media
Essentially a primer in the business of interactive media as it relates to emerging marketing strategies, this course will examine disruptive media in the new game: mobile, search models, video-on-demand and social networks. By exposing students to a careful blend of academic research, contemporary case studies and innovative start-ups, this course will create a solid foundation in emerging strategies, help students become conversant in the lexicon of interactive media, understand its revenue models, and identify new careers opportunities in the changing environment. This course will also serve as a prerequisite to classes that develop deeper study on its individual platform topics and pricing models. The syllabus is available here.
MKTG768 – Managing the Value of Customer Reltationships
As the concept of "customer relationship management" becomes common parlance for virtually every kind of company, it is useful to take a step back to better understand the various different behaviors that underlie and motivate the development of formal CRM systems. These "behaviors" include customer-level decisions, firm actions, and the delicate but complex interplay between the two. Accordingly, the course is comprised of three main modules: (1)understanding the sources and dynamics of customer value, (2)how firms create and enhance customer value, and (3)strategic/tactical considerations in managing the value creation/extraction process. The course content will be rigorous but not excessively analytical, "real-world" practical but with an eye towards relevant academic work and narrowly focused on CRM-type issues but with broad coverage of industries/applications in which they arise.
INDEPENDENT STUDY -
Yes, the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative offers independent study for one CU credit. Projects must be research-driven and align with the WIMI Executive Summary. Projects may be interdisciplinary. For more information information contact Steve Ennen, ennen@wharton.upenn.edu
CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT -
It is important to note that the WIMI Corporate Partner structure is designed to elicit input from leading edge and respected firms that have shown support of the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative and can clearly communicate the real issues confronting businesses and the skill sets needed to deal with them. This input will increase Wharton’s ability to train students in the execution of interactive media strategies and ready them for immediate success upon graduation.