Lingnan University Department of Marketing & International Business. MKT3201 BUYER BEHAVIOUR Course Description and Schedule Term 2,

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1 Lingnan University Department of Marketing & International Business MKT3201 BUYER BEHAVIOUR Course Description and Schedule Term 2, Instructor: Ms. Icy Ngai Tel: Office: SEK101/15 Brief Course Description and Objectives Prerequisite: BUS2205 Marketing Management or PSY2101 Introduction to Psychology Marketing begins and ends with the consumers. It attempts to determine consumer needs and provide consumer satisfaction. Virtually all marketing mix decisions would rely on indepth knowledge of the consumers who comprise the target market. Thus, a clear understanding of the principles, concepts and results of consumer behaviour is critical to successful marketing. The purpose of this course is to help students understand and analyze buyer behaviour from a marketing manager s standpoint. This course examines the personal, psychological, social as well as cultural or internal/external factors that influence buyer behaviour and the decision making process. It surveys various concepts, theories and analytical frameworks for explaining and analysing buyer purchase decisions and draws practical implications for marketing strategies. Learning Outcomes On completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Explain the basic conceptual frameworks of social sciences that inform consumer behaviour as an academic discipline and an applied area; 2. Comprehend the concepts and theories of consumer behaviour, including perception and learning, motivation and values, lifestyles and attitude, buyer decision process and choice strategies, and consumer responses to marketing communications, etc.; 3. Analyse, understand and interpret consumer behaviour through own experience/experiment. 4. Function well in a team environment to develop effective solutions to consumer related problems. 5. Appreciate how organizational and consumer decision making are similar and different; 6. Apply the basic research techniques for measuring consumer behaviour of interest to marketers; 1

2 Pedagogy This course consists of lectures on text materials, discussion of current issues in consumer research and marketing, and application of the concepts and theories to real world situations through case analyses. Indicative Contents Consumers in the Marketplace: consumers impact on marketing strategy, and marketing s impact on consumers Consumers as Individuals: perception, learning and memory, motivation and global values, the self, personality and psychographics Consumers as Decision Makers: attitude and persuasion, individual and organizational decision making Consumers and Subcultures: groups and social media, social class and lifestyles, subcultural and cultural factors that influence consumer behavior Textbook Solomon, Michael R. (2015), Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, and Being, 11 th Edition, Harlow: Pearson Education. Measurement of Learning Outcomes 1. Continuous assessment requires students to explain the applications of concepts, theories and principles of consumer behaviour in real life situations. Mid-term test is used to test students understanding of specific concept, theories and principles of consumer behaviour. Individual essay is used to examine students ability to apply those concepts and theories to analyze a phenomenon of consumer behaviour. Group project involving a comprehensive case study requires students to address buyer behaviour issues with related concepts and theories. Students in groups are expected to select a company/organization/ product/service /phenomenon relating specific concepts and practices in consumer behaviour and discuss the applications of those concepts and practices in their self-selected case. 2. Final examination requires students to apply knowledge and past learnings in addressing examination questions. 2

3 Assessment 1. Mid-Term Test: There will be mid-term test with multiple-choice questions. All students are required to take the test. Make-up test will be given only to those with legitimate reasons and proper documentation. 2. Individual Essay: Each student is required to write an essay on the group project topic. You can have a full comprehensive introduction on the project or select one aspect of the consumer behaviour with in-depth analysis. The length of the essay should NOT exceed 1500 words (A4 size, 12 font size, single-spaced, excluding tables and appendices). The essay will be used to assess students understanding on consumer behaviour and achievement in applying critical thinking skills. 3. Group Project: Students in groups are expected to select a company/organization/product/service /phenomenon and apply specific concepts and practices in consumer behaviour, discuss the applications of those concepts and practices in their self-selected area. Each group will be required to illustrate a buyer behaviour issue with related concepts and theories. This learning approach helps improve students knowledge of consumer information processing, and enhances the understanding of the implications of consumer theories in a business environment. In addition, it aims to sharpen students research, comprehension and presentation skills. 4. Final Examination: 2-hour examination with both short essays and case studies at the end of the academic term. 5. Class Participation & Policy: Students are highly encouraged to participate in class discussions. Students will also be required to conduct informal exercises related to the understanding of consumer decision processes. Classroom policy: 1. Mutual respect: Whenever the instructor or a fellow student speaks, the rest of the class should remain quiet. All phones should place on the desk. No texting or websurfing in the classroom. 2.Participation: The instructor will evaluate your contribution in class in terms of involvement, active participation, punctuality and discipline. 3. Attendance: Full attendance to project presentations is required. 4.Punctuality: Marks will be deducted for students who enter the classroom during lecture. 5. Make-up test: Request for make-up test will be considered only if there is advance notice with valid medical proof. The make-up test will be given entirely in essay form and will be arranged in the same class period as final exam. 3

4 Academic dishonesty and plagiarism will automatically result in a failing grade. The final letter grade for the course is based on the following distribution: Remarks (1) Continuous Assessment - a. Mid-term test 10% b. Individual Essay 15% c. Group Project 20% d. Class Participation 5% (2) Final Examination - 50% Total 100% Course materials can be downloaded from: Policy Statements Students shall be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in course work and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations Governing University Examinations. 4

5 MKT3201 Buyer Behaviour Course Schedule Week Class Date Topics Covered Learning Outcomes & Activities Ch Remarks Week 1: 1 18-Jan-16 Overview Course overview and requirements 1 Week 1: 2 21-Jan-16 Introduction to buyer behavior An overview of the field of consumer behavior 1 Week 2: 3 25-Jan-16 Introduction to buyer behavior An overview of the field of consumer behavior (con't) 4 Project briefing and group forming Understand self-concept strongly influences consumer Week 2: 4 28-Jan-16 behavior; Personality affects the way of responding 7 The self & personality marketing stimuli; Brand also has personality which marketer can build Week 3: 5 1-Feb-16 7 Understand how perception is formed and different stages of Week 3: 6 4-Feb-16 Perception perception; Discuss how consumers select, organize and 5 interpret stimuli Week 4: CNY 8-Feb-16 Week 4: CNY 11-Feb-16 Week 5: 7 15-Feb-16 Perception Understand how perception is formed and different stages of perception; Discuss how consumers select, organize and interpret stimuli Week 5: 8 18-Feb-16 Discuss the way consumers mentally store the information 6 and how it adds to their existing knowledge during the Learning and memory learning process; Discuss how marketer can leverage this Week 6: 9 22-Feb-16 6 process 5 Group name list due and to icyngai@ln.edu.hk by 12 noon 28 Jan. Group presentation date by lucky draw. Week 6: Feb-16 Understand the contents of an attitude, how attitudes are 8 formed, and how they can be measured; Discuss how Attitude & persuasion attitudes can be changed by marketers Week 7: Feb-16 8 Week 7: 12 3-Mar-16 Guest speaker 8 Week 8: 13 7-Mar-16 Midterm Test Week 8: Mar-16 3 Cultural Influences How culture impacts/links to consumer behavior Week 9: Mar-16 3 Understand consumer identity, gender and subculture and Week 9: Mar-16 Sex roles and subculture 10 the impact on buyer's behavior Week 10: Mar-16 Group and situational effects Week 10: Mar-16 Social class & lifestyle Week 11: Easter Holidays 28-Mar-16 Week 11: Mar-16 Week 12: Ching Ming 4-Apr-16 Networked consumer behavior, WOM, social media, fashion Week 12: 20 7-Apr-16 Decision making process Week 13: Apr-16 Consumer behavior in marketing plan & strategy Discuss how the group and situational effects impact buyer behavior Understand the importance of consumer social class & lifestyle, how it influences buyer's behavior Understand and discuss how social media influences buyer behavior Understand the three categories of consumer decisionmaking. Discuss/experience the procedures of making decisions Guest speaker Group 1 Presentation Week 13: Apr-16 2 Group 2 Presentation Understand the three categories of consumer decisionmaking. Week 14: Apr-16 Discuss/experience the procedures of making Decision making process decisions 2 Group 3 Presentation Week 14: Apr-16 2 Group 4 & 5 Presentation Week 15: Apr-16 Course review & exam preparation The schedule is subject to change. Prior notice will be made one class ahead if any changes. Individual essay due on or before 11:59 PM, 25 April, 2016; to icyngai@ln.edu.hk 5