WGU D174
MARKETING MANAGEMENT
Comprehensive Study Guide
2026 Edition | Concept Review + OA-Style Application Practice
Strategy • Research • Buyer Behavior • STP • 4Ps
Channels • Promotion • CRM • Global & Ethical Marketing • Metrics
Independent educational resource
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Western Governors University
, How to Use This Guide
This guide is designed for concept mastery and scenario-based application. Read each chapter, complete its quick check,
then take the mixed practice set without looking at the answers. Review every rationale, including questions answered
correctly.
2026 alignment note
The 2026 WGU catalog identifies D174 as Marketing Management (3 competency units). This independent guide
follows the published course scope: foundational marketing, strategic planning, customer value, and the marketing
mix. Assessment details may change inside a student portal, so the current course of study and coaching report
remain the controlling sources.
Suggested study sequence
Pass What to do Goal
1. Build Chapters 1-5: foundations, strategy, research, buyers, STP Recognize the decision
framework
2. Execute Chapters 6-10: product, price, place, promotion, relationships Choose the best tactical
response
3. Integrate Chapters 11-13: global, ethics, metrics Connect decisions to value and
performance
4. Test 50-question mixed practice assessment Explain why each distractor is
weaker
Core mental model
Marketing is value management
Understand a market, select customers to serve, create a differentiated value proposition, deliver it through a
coordinated marketing mix, then measure results and learn. On scenario questions, identify where in this chain the
decision occurs.
D174 Marketing Management | Original Study Guide | 2026 Edition
, 1. Marketing Foundations and Customer Value
Marketing defined
Marketing coordinates activities for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that provide value. It is
broader than advertising or selling: it begins before a product exists and continues after the sale.
Value and exchange
Customer value is the perceived benefits received relative to the monetary, time, effort, and psychological costs paid.
Satisfaction compares perceived performance with expectations. Exchange requires parties with something of value,
communication and delivery capability, freedom to accept or reject, and willingness to deal.
Orientations
A production orientation emphasizes efficiency and availability; a sales orientation pushes existing output; a market
orientation starts with customer and competitor intelligence; a societal marketing orientation balances customer wants,
company goals, and long-run social welfare.
Need, want, demand
A need is a basic state of deprivation. A want is a culturally shaped form of a need. Demand is a want supported by buying
power. Marketers influence wants and demand; they do not manufacture basic human needs.
Orientation Primary focus Typical risk
Production Efficiency and availability Ignoring changing customer preferences
Sales Persuading customers to buy output Short-term transactions over fit
Market Customer and competitor intelligence Costly if insight is not converted into action
Societal Customer value + firm goals + welfare Trade-offs among stakeholders
Chapter quick check
Explain each bold distinction in your own words and create one business example. If you cannot justify why a nearby
alternative is wrong, revisit the section.
D174 Marketing Management | Original Study Guide | 2026 Edition
, 2. Strategic Marketing Planning
Planning hierarchy
Mission clarifies purpose; objectives make desired outcomes specific and measurable; strategy defines where and how to
compete; tactics specify actions. Marketing objectives should support the organization’s broader direction.
Situation analysis
SWOT separates internal strengths and weaknesses from external opportunities and threats. PESTEL scans political,
economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal forces. Competitor analysis considers direct, indirect, and
potential substitutes.
Growth choices
Market penetration sells more existing products to existing markets; market development takes existing products to new
markets; product development offers new products to current markets; diversification combines new products and new
markets and usually carries the greatest uncertainty.
Portfolio logic
A portfolio view compares business units or products by market attractiveness and competitive position. High growth does
not automatically mean high cash generation; investment choices also depend on relative position and strategic fit.
Implementation and control
A plan needs owners, budgets, milestones, and metrics. Control compares actual outcomes with objectives, diagnoses
variance, and triggers corrective action or revised assumptions.
SWOT Location Example
Strength Internal Proprietary capability
Weakness Internal High fulfillment cost
Opportunity External Growing unmet segment
Threat External New regulation or substitute
Chapter quick check
Explain each bold distinction in your own words and create one business example. If you cannot justify why a nearby
alternative is wrong, revisit the section.
D174 Marketing Management | Original Study Guide | 2026 Edition
MARKETING MANAGEMENT
Comprehensive Study Guide
2026 Edition | Concept Review + OA-Style Application Practice
Strategy • Research • Buyer Behavior • STP • 4Ps
Channels • Promotion • CRM • Global & Ethical Marketing • Metrics
Independent educational resource
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Western Governors University
, How to Use This Guide
This guide is designed for concept mastery and scenario-based application. Read each chapter, complete its quick check,
then take the mixed practice set without looking at the answers. Review every rationale, including questions answered
correctly.
2026 alignment note
The 2026 WGU catalog identifies D174 as Marketing Management (3 competency units). This independent guide
follows the published course scope: foundational marketing, strategic planning, customer value, and the marketing
mix. Assessment details may change inside a student portal, so the current course of study and coaching report
remain the controlling sources.
Suggested study sequence
Pass What to do Goal
1. Build Chapters 1-5: foundations, strategy, research, buyers, STP Recognize the decision
framework
2. Execute Chapters 6-10: product, price, place, promotion, relationships Choose the best tactical
response
3. Integrate Chapters 11-13: global, ethics, metrics Connect decisions to value and
performance
4. Test 50-question mixed practice assessment Explain why each distractor is
weaker
Core mental model
Marketing is value management
Understand a market, select customers to serve, create a differentiated value proposition, deliver it through a
coordinated marketing mix, then measure results and learn. On scenario questions, identify where in this chain the
decision occurs.
D174 Marketing Management | Original Study Guide | 2026 Edition
, 1. Marketing Foundations and Customer Value
Marketing defined
Marketing coordinates activities for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that provide value. It is
broader than advertising or selling: it begins before a product exists and continues after the sale.
Value and exchange
Customer value is the perceived benefits received relative to the monetary, time, effort, and psychological costs paid.
Satisfaction compares perceived performance with expectations. Exchange requires parties with something of value,
communication and delivery capability, freedom to accept or reject, and willingness to deal.
Orientations
A production orientation emphasizes efficiency and availability; a sales orientation pushes existing output; a market
orientation starts with customer and competitor intelligence; a societal marketing orientation balances customer wants,
company goals, and long-run social welfare.
Need, want, demand
A need is a basic state of deprivation. A want is a culturally shaped form of a need. Demand is a want supported by buying
power. Marketers influence wants and demand; they do not manufacture basic human needs.
Orientation Primary focus Typical risk
Production Efficiency and availability Ignoring changing customer preferences
Sales Persuading customers to buy output Short-term transactions over fit
Market Customer and competitor intelligence Costly if insight is not converted into action
Societal Customer value + firm goals + welfare Trade-offs among stakeholders
Chapter quick check
Explain each bold distinction in your own words and create one business example. If you cannot justify why a nearby
alternative is wrong, revisit the section.
D174 Marketing Management | Original Study Guide | 2026 Edition
, 2. Strategic Marketing Planning
Planning hierarchy
Mission clarifies purpose; objectives make desired outcomes specific and measurable; strategy defines where and how to
compete; tactics specify actions. Marketing objectives should support the organization’s broader direction.
Situation analysis
SWOT separates internal strengths and weaknesses from external opportunities and threats. PESTEL scans political,
economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal forces. Competitor analysis considers direct, indirect, and
potential substitutes.
Growth choices
Market penetration sells more existing products to existing markets; market development takes existing products to new
markets; product development offers new products to current markets; diversification combines new products and new
markets and usually carries the greatest uncertainty.
Portfolio logic
A portfolio view compares business units or products by market attractiveness and competitive position. High growth does
not automatically mean high cash generation; investment choices also depend on relative position and strategic fit.
Implementation and control
A plan needs owners, budgets, milestones, and metrics. Control compares actual outcomes with objectives, diagnoses
variance, and triggers corrective action or revised assumptions.
SWOT Location Example
Strength Internal Proprietary capability
Weakness Internal High fulfillment cost
Opportunity External Growing unmet segment
Threat External New regulation or substitute
Chapter quick check
Explain each bold distinction in your own words and create one business example. If you cannot justify why a nearby
alternative is wrong, revisit the section.
D174 Marketing Management | Original Study Guide | 2026 Edition
