Abstract:

In a context of globalization, digital revolution, transparency and growing pressure concerning the role of business in society, marketing has been experiencing unprecedented changes. A true era of disruption demands new mental models to deal with complexity, ambiguity, and change (Wilkie, 2019; Wind, 2019) and the recognition that Marketing is, indeed, much more than marketing management (Saren, 2007). Based on these assumptions, and through a non-prescriptive approach, this work addresses the challenge of designing a marketing curriculum, its complexities and potential contribution for change and innovation.

Most literature on marketing curriculum design is focused on possible responses to market demands, suggesting new curricular units, new subjects and new methodologies. Nevertheless, in what concerns the very process of curriculum design, empirical research is still limited. In this context, and through a case study methodology, the purpose of this work is to examine the process of redesigning an undergraduate marketing degree curriculum, with an emphasis on “how”, rather than “what”. At the same time, it underlines and discusses the art of balancing and making choices in a multiple stakeholders setting, including employers and students, governmental accreditation agencies and different scientific “tribes”. Some illustrative dilemmas and decisions concern the meaning and level of multidisciplinarity in confrontation with issues of identity and positioning; the balance between key competences and strands as management, technology/digital and design/content creation; the role and scope of optional units and the reconfiguration of the curricular internship, considering its peculiar and special characteristics.

We believe this case study, developed in a Portuguese university, can be expanded to other settings with similar challenges and institutional frameworks. Moreover, it provides relevant and useful contributions to the process of curriculum design in intricate contexts, bringing the dynamics of making choices to the surface.

Keywords:

Marketing Curriculum, Marketing Curriculum Design, Curriculum Design, Making Choices.