COURSE NUMBER: MBA267.2

Formerly numbered MBA266.3

This course is dual-listed with the Evening-weekend MBA Program.

COURSE TITLE: Sales Force Management and Channel Strategy

UNITS OF CREDIT: 3

INSTRUCTOR: Wasim Azhar

E-MAIL ADDRESS: azhar@berkeley.edu

PREREQUISITE(S): MBA 206 Marketing

CAREER FIELD: The course will be extremely useful for managers in marketing, consulting or corporate strategy development since effective sales and distribution channels are a key source of competitive advantage and an essential element of implementing and developing strategic plans.

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:
There will be no in-class quizzes or exams. Grade distribution will be as follows:
Class Participation: 20%
Group Take-Home Midterm (Analysis of a Case) = 25%
Two Individual Take-Home Short Assignments:  = 25%
Group Final with Option of either doing a Case Analysis or Planning a Sales Force and Distribution Channel for an Actual “Go-To-Market” Situation = 30%

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: The design and management of sales force and distribution channels are critical components of business strategy and key elements in organizing and implementing corporate and marketing strategy. Many of the strategy implementation problems to be tackled in practice are related to sales force and distribution channels.

The course aims to introduce frameworks and develop practical managerial takeaways for effective design, implementation and management of sales force and distribution channel networks and systems.  We will identify and analyze some fundamental decisions to be made regarding the design of channel structures and systems. Issues discussed will include selection of types of channel intermediaries, targeted intensity of market coverage, desired channel length and breadth, and the terms of contracts between channel members.

 The course also covers issues relating to hybrid and multiple channel systems. Coverage of the design and management of a direct sales force without intermediaries will include sales force deployment, quota management, motivating sales force, performance evaluation and compensation. Managing channel structures that use a combination of direct and indirect channels will also be covered.

The program also identifies the linkages of channel management with other elements of the marketing mix, and covers issues regarding ongoing management and coordination of channels as markets evolve, including how channel conflict and channel power influence behavior of channel members and affect channel function and performance. We shall discuss how firms can respond to the challenge of building channel cooperation and working relationships among channel members to improve the productivity and efficiency of channels as products and markets evolve. 

The course will be extremely useful for managers in marketing, consulting or corporate strategy development since effective sales and distribution channels are a key source of competitive advantage and an essential element of implementing and developing strategic plans.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: As a member of the Marketing Faculty at Haas Business School, University of California, Berkeley, USA, Professor Wasim Azhar teaches electives in Pricing Strategies, International Marketing and Channels Management as well as the core marketing course in the EWMBA, FTMBA and BBA programs.  Dr. Wasim Azhar won the Cheit Award for Best Teaching in the EWMBA program for 2007-8. As a Director in the Center for Teaching Excellence at Haas, Wasim is a designated Faculty Advisor and Coach who advises his faculty clients regarding design and delivery of courses and participates as an instructor in teacher training seminars. Wasim is a member of P-FACT, a committee that advises the Dean on matters related to teaching. Wasim also taught at Stanford from 2001-2009 where he offered MBA elective courses in Global and International Marketing and Channels Management as well as the core marketing course for the Sloan program. From 2005 to 2009, Wasim was teaching at both Stanford and Haas. He is on the Board of Advisors of universities in Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Wasim is a member of several Boards of Directors of companies in USA including Globe Equity Partners, PageOnce Corporation and VeriSys Corporation. He is also Marketing Director and Partner in Amzone LLC, USA. Wasim was formerly a Professor of Business Policy and Marketing and Pro-Vice Chancellor at Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. He has taught in executive programs in USA, Pakistan, India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka and has travelled extensively in Europe, Middle-East, South Asia and South America.