Program and Batch Semester & Academic Year Credits 4

Course Outline

Course Title Consumer Theory & Psychology

Core or Elective Core

Program and Batch

Semester & Academic Year

Credits 4

Discipline/Area

Provide details, if this course is a prerequisite

for any course/specialization

Name of the Faculty Member/Course

Instructor

Devyani Mourya

Contact Details of the Faculty Member 8930300669

Contact Details of Support Staff

Faculty Member’s Open Office Day/s & Time Weekdays 9 AM-5 PM / Saturdays: 10 AM -

1 PM

Introduction to the Course

The course aims to cultivate an appreciation of how marketing requisites to understand people’s

needs and behavioural concepts to achieve their strategic objectives. Consumer Theory consists of

consumers’ actions taken while searching for, purchasing, using, evaluating, and disposing of

products and services that they expect will satisfy their needs. This often forms the basis of the

marketing decisions. In this course, participants will be introduced to concepts from disciplines

like, sociology, anthropology, communications and particularly psychology to grasp the multi-

disciplinary nature of Consumer Theory. Participants will also be made aware of how consumer

needs are determined and influenced by internal and external factors such as personality,

perception, motivation, and culture. This will be done primarily through case discussions, lecture

and presentations.

Course Learning Objectives (CLOs)

Upon successful completion of this course, students will learn and understand the following:

1. Informed & systemic understanding of the fundamentals of consumer theory.

2. Students would be able to relate psychology dynamics such as personality, perception,

learning motivation and attitude to the choices consumers make.

3. To enable students to analyse the marketing strategies based on consumer theory.

4. To understand principal concepts and theoretical perspectives of consumer decision-making

and be able to apply your understanding to real-world scenarios and contexts.

Teaching Method

Lecture, Case discussions & Presentations.

Evaluation Schema

The course grade will be determined on the basis of:

Assessment Task Weightage Nature Week of

Assessment

A1: Case Analysis 20 Individual Week 4-5

A2: Presentation 20 Group Week 5-15

A4: Class Participation 10 Individual Week 1-15

A5: End Term 50 Individual/Take

Home

End of Semester

Description of Assessments:

Brief description of the assessment tasks in the course

1. Case- Study: Word summary (800-1000) covering all aspects of the case to be distributed

to the class. It will be followed by a short written question-answer analysis (500).

2. Presentation: For this assessment, you will be allocated into groups. You will need to start

planning this assignment from Week 1 itself. Consumer behaviour is influenced by three

factors: social, cultural & personal. You may pick up a real-life example of any one of

these aspects and present it to the class. The presentation will be of 10-15 mins, followed

by oral question/answers (5 mins).

3. Class Participation: Marks will be awarded for the understanding of the material covered

in class, and quality and meaningful contribution to class discussion.

4. End Term – The final examination is an individual assessment of your understanding of

the basic principles of consumer behaviour. It will be a take-home exam, covering the

lecture materials, relevant chapters from the textbook (see course schedule), and in-class

discussion.

Text-Book / Course Package / Other Readings

Prescribed Text Book

Schiffman, L.G., Wisenblit, J., & Kumar, S.R. (2016). Consumer Behavior. New Delhi: Pearson

Prentice-Hall.

Optional Reference Books

Peter, J.P., & Olson, J.C. (2010). Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy (7th Ed.). New

Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill.

Solomon, M.R., Russell-Bennett, R. & Previte, J. (2013). Consumer Behaviour: Buying,

Having, Being (3rd Ed.). Pearson Education Australia.

Recommended Reading

The following sources are well-respected and may help in completing your assignments, and in

updating generic knowledge and skills.

Journals

Advances in Consumer Research

Journal of Marketing

Journal of Consumer Behaviour

Journal of Consumer Research

Journal of Market Research

Journal of Applied Psychology

Psychology & Marketing

Sociology

Grade Sheet:

The schema of the grade sheet may change. Students will be informed well in advance of any

changes in the schema of the grade sheet.

JGU Policies and Expectations

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:

Learning and knowledge production of any kind is a collaborative process. Collaboration demands

an ethical responsibility to acknowledge who we have learnt from, what we have learned, and how

reading and learning from others have helped us shape our ideas. Even our ideas demand an

acknowledgement of the sources and processes through which those ideas have emerged. Thus,

all ideas must be supported by citations. All ideas borrowed from articles, books, journals,

magazines, case laws, statutes, photographs, films, paintings, etc., in print or online, must be

credited with the original source. If the source or inspiration of your idea is a friend, a casual chat,

something that you overheard, or heard being discussed at a conference or in class, even they must

be duly credited. If you paraphrase or directly quote from a web source in the examination,

presentation or essays, the source must be acknowledged. The university has a framework to deal

with cases of plagiarism. All form of plagiarism will be taken seriously by the University and

prescribed sanctions will be imposed on those who commit plagiarism.

Disability Support and Accommodation Requirements:

JGU endeavours to make all its courses accessible to students. All students with any known

disability needing academic accommodation are required to register with the Disability Support

Committee [email protected]. The Committee has so far identified the following conditions that

could possibly hinder student’s overall well-being. These include physical and mobility related

difficulties; visual impairment; hearing impairment; medical conditions; specific learning

difficulties e.g., dyslexia; mental health. The Disability Support Committee maintains strict

confidentiality of its discussions. Students should preferably register with the Committee during

the month of June/January as disability accommodation requires early planning. DSC will approve

of and coordinate all disability related services such as appointment of academic mentors,

arranging infrastructural facilities, and course-related requirements such as special lectures,

tutorials, and examinations.

Safe Space Pledge:

This course may discuss a range of issues and events that might result in distress for some students.

Discussions in the course might also provoke strong emotional responses. To make sure that all

students collectively benefit from the course, and do not feel disturbed due to either the content of

the course or the conduct of the discussions. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all within the

classroom to pledge to maintain respect towards our peers. This does not mean that you need to

feel restrained about what you feel and what you want to say. Conversely, this is about creating a

safe space where everyone can speak and learn without inhibitions and fear. This responsibility

lies not only with students but also with the instructor.

Session Plan: Please note that the session plan below is an example. Please change it according

to your session plan, while maintaining the heading description of the columns.

Session Details

CLOs Covered

Week 1 & 2 Overview of Consumer Theory

CLO1

Objective of the session Introduction to the course- an overview. Meeting Changes and Challenges

of consumer behaviour. Technology-driven Consumer Behavior

Readings Chapter 1

Case Title and Number NA

Pedagogy Lecture/ class discussion

Week 3 & 4 Market Segmentation and Strategic Targeting

CLO2 & 3

Objective of the session

To introduce participants to the process of market segmentation. Describe

the demographic, sociocultural, and psychographic bases for segmenting

markets

Readings Chapter 2 & 11

Case Title and Number Procter & Gamble

Pedagogy Lecture & Case Discussion

Week 5 & 6 Consumer Motivation

CLO2

Objective of the session To examine various motivational theories and their application to the

process of customer decision making

Readings Chapter 3

Case Title and Number Lifebuoy case

Pedagogy Lecture/ Class Discussion/ Presentation

Week 7 Customer Perception & Personality

CLO2


To discuss individual variables like customer perception and personality

and its relation to consumer’s choice of product selection.



Pedagogy Lecture/ class discussion/ group presentation

Week 8 Persuading Consumers

CLO2 & CLO4


This session covers the elements of communications & overcoming

barriers to effective communications. The focus will be on the message to

consumers-its structure, persuasive appeal, and effectiveness.

Readings

Chapter 7 & 8

Case Title and Number Keystone Light/Miller Cools

Pedagogy Lecture/ Class discussion/ Presentations

Week 9 & 10 Consumer Learning /Consumer Attitude Formation and Change

CLO2 & 3


Students will be made to understand the learning process and how past

shopping experiences affect subsequent buying. It will be followed by an

understanding of the formation, study, and strategic applications of

consumer attitudes.

Readings Chapters 5 & 6

Case Title and Number Dove case study

Pedagogy Lecture/ class discussion/ presentation

Week 11 Reference Groups and Word-of-Mouth

CLO2 & 3


This session will reflect on the social influences on consumer behaviour.

It examines the credibility of consumers’ reference groups, the role of

opinion leaders, and the dynamics of word-of-mouth offline and online.

Readings Chapter 9

Case Title and Number


Week 12 & 13 Culture/Cross-Cultural Perspective

CLO2 & CLO4


This session describes the culture and how it is expressed through values,

rituals, and customs. Students learn of cross-cultural differences and relate

them to marketing overseas.

Readings Chapter 11

Case Title and Number Google in China

Pedagogy Lecture/ class discussion/ Presentation

Week 14 Consumer Decision Making & Marketing Ethics

CLO1 & CLO4

Objective of the session Students will reflect on the concepts learnt in earlier sessions and apply

them to the process of consumer decision making.


Case Title and Number PIMA Air & Space Museum


Week 15 Review

Objective of the session This session will reflect upon all learnings and review the course.

Readings NA



Documents

Program and Batch Semester & Academic Year Credits 4