1 Marketing 320 – Consumer Behavior
Fall 2012 Section A2
Course Syllabus
Class Time: 12:00 – 12:50, MWF Class Location: Business 4-9 Instructor: Utku Akkoç Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: By appointment Website: http://ulearn.ualberta.ca (Lecture slides will be posted here.)
Brief Course Description:
Official University Description: The study of the factors affecting the consumer decision process. Analysis of consumer behavior models and their application to marketing decision making with an emphasis on empirical research.
My Description: Consumer behavior is the study of how people consume including products, services, places, events, or even ideas. This includes all parts of the consumption cycle from acquisition to usage and final disposal. Drawing upon principles from various disciplines (such as economics, psychology, sociology, and anthropology) the study of consumer behavior investigates why people behave the way they do and explores its implications for marketing.
Course Objectives:
Understanding the consumer is crucial for the marketing manager, public policy maker, and individual consumer.
My goal by the end of the semester is to familiarize you with the factors that shape consumer behavior, and help you understand how those factors and their interactions influence the consumers themselves, marketing activities of firms, policy makers as well as the public at large.
Required Text:
Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, and Being by Solomon, Zaichkowsky, and Polegato, 5th Canadian edition. ISBN: 0137018284
2 Course Structure:
Class Sessions: Class time will be used for a combination of lectures, class discussions, and group presentations. Being prepared prior to a meeting and contributing to discussions is essential in business life; nobody gets credit for being absent. Likewise, you are expected to keep up with the assigned reading material for each session and contribute to class discussions by actively participating.
Team Work: Individual competency in marketing is important, but so is your ability to work in groups and accomplish tasks as a member of a team. The group project will enable you to work in teams and apply the consumer behavior topics you will learn in this course to business world.
Individual work: In addition to preparing for class sessions and group activities, you will make a short individual presentation to demonstrate your grasp of a consumer behavior topic.
Grading Components:
Exam I 25%
Exam II 25%
Group Project 35%
Individual Presentation 10%
Class participation Overall Course Grade
5%
100%
The University of Alberta uses a letter grading system with a four-point scale of numerical equivalents for calculating grade point averages. Grade points reflect judgments of student achievement made by the instructor.
Final grades are determined based on a combination of absolute achievement and relative performance in class and are regulated by the University of Alberta Grading Guidelines (GFC Policy Manual 61).
Exams (%25 each):
The exams are designed to test your understanding of basic consumer behavior concepts and your ability to apply them in various situations. There are two exams and no final exam. The exams will consist of multiple choice questions and both are closed-book exams. Each will be completed in one class session (50 minutes).
All questions will be based on lecture materials and the textbook. Exam 1 is based on all material to the end of Chapter 8 in the textbook. Exam 2 is based on all material covered after Exam 1.
3 Individual Presentation (10%):
During the semester each student is required to make a short (5 minute) individual presentation. The purpose of this presentation is 1) to help you gain practice in making a presentation to a small audience. (2) to show your knowledge and understanding of a specific consumer behavior topic.
Each student will be randomly assigned to a presentation date (see the course schedule), and each date will have a different theme (see the last page of the syllabus). You are free to choose your particular topic as long as it is educational and relevant to the theme of the date you are assigned to. For example, you may analyze/critique and attempt to improve a particular business, product, category, or advertisement in light of on that particular theme (e.g. if the theme is memory, how the company could work to create consumer memory for a product/service of your choice). Or you may share an interesting personal experience or observation relating to that theme (e.g. if the theme is social influence, how shopping with kids may affect parents’ own shopping behavior, etc.).
No later than one week before the date of your presentation, you must submit (by e-mail) a 1-paragraph outline of what you propose to present. Your presentation should not include offensive material and should not be similar to other presentations on that theme (you will receive confirmation/feedback within a few days).
Since you will have very limited time, you are not required to prepare PowerPoint slides (but you can if you are confident that your presentation will not take more than 5 minutes including all the set-up). If you want to discuss or present a website or commercial, bring a screenshot or a video copy in your flash disk, since you may not open external websites.
Your individual presentation mark is determined equally by me and your classmates. Each presentation will be rated in terms of interestingness, content (relevance to course material), delivery, and overall quality. Though reference to course material is necessary, a basic restatement of material in the textbook is not allowed; you are expected to go beyond it.
Since you will evaluate the presentations of your classmates, your attendance is crucial. If you join at least 12 of those presentation classes, you will receive a 1%
bonus on your final grade (no partial bonus points will be granted).
Class Participation (5%)
Class participation is an essential component of your performance. While attendance to lectures is necessary, it is not sufficient. I expect you to make thoughtful remarks and give relevant examples. Your participation grade will be assigned based on the quality, not solely the quantity, of your contributions.
4 Group Project (%35):
A major objective of this project is to get you thinking about how consumer behavior can guide the business world. In that sense, your team will propose a product, service, or retail outlet for a certain group of consumers. An innovative idea is desirable, but not vital. Imagine proposing the product/service/outlet to your boss, a manager of a client you visit, or an investor.
Your main focus will be on investigating how your target consumers would identify a need for your product/service/outlet, go through the decision process of which alternative to consider and choose, acquire the selected alternative, consume it, and, if applicable, dispose of it.
You will form teams of 4 (by default) or 5 people for this project. You are encouraged to assemble your own teams. Team spokespersons will send the names of their team members to me by the specified deadline (If you do not have a team by the deadline, please contact me and I will randomly assign you to one).
You will first submit a project outline, and upon on my approval you will start working on your final report. In addition to submitting a hardcopy, you will make a presentation in the classroom at the end of the semester (see the class schedule). Grading of the group project will be as follows:
Project Outline 5 points
Final Report
-Application of Course Material 15 points -Report Professionalism 5 points Presentation & Discussion 10 points
Total Project Grade 35 points (=35% of your final grade)
-Project Outline
You are expected to hand in a short document (2 pages, double spaced) that describes your application idea. Importantly, it should include a description of the idea; discussion of the consumer behavior concepts you will build on (you are advised to look ahead to topics we have yet to cover); and overview of what you will include in your final project.
-Final report
Your final report will be graded primarily based on the application of the course material. A good final report should demonstrate depth (the extent to which consumer behavior concepts are discussed and applied with supporting research found in academic journals, trade publications, and other resources), breadth
5 (discussion of most appropriate consumer behavior concepts that apply in the given context in a clear, rigorous fashion) and quality of implementation (quality, thoughtfulness, and specificity of the recommendations made in the end).
The report should look professional and follow a coherent structure. It should be well-written, free of typos & grammatical errors, and nicely formatted (i.e. with numbered pages, figures, and tables).
The hard copy of your written report is due in class (12:00-sharp) on the first day of presentations (November 28). All printing, stapling/binding, and proofreading should take place before this time.
-Presentation and Discussion
You will make a 10-12 minute presentation of your written report, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A. Clarity and quality of the presentation, the preparedness of the group as well as its responses to questions will be evaluated by the instructor.
Possible Adjustment of Project Marks:
After completion of the group project (i.e., once the presentation has been done), you will evaluate the contribution of each member of your own group in terms of (1) the amount of effort spent on the project and (2) the quality of their contribution. I reserve the right to decrease an individual student’s mark for the group project based on consistent peer evaluations.
Completed confidential peer evaluation forms are due by 4:00pm on December 5th. If you fail to submit this form, your individual project mark will be docked 2%.
Research Credit (optional):
During the course, there will be limited opportunities to earn extra credit for participation in research studies, which are conducted by members of the Alberta School of Business and screened by an ethics committee to ensure they meet the University of Alberta’s ethical standards. Participation is totally optional and based on a voluntary basis.
Studies take no more than one hour. Each study you participate will familiarize you with academic research in marketing, and boost your overall course mark by 1%.
Guest Speakers
During the course, two guest speakers from the industry will join us to share their experiences. Names and exact dates will be announced during the semester. Each guest speaker is chosen for his or her unique ability to contribute to our learning.
Therefore, it is essential that you ask relevant questions and be actively engaged during their presentation. The quality of your questions will be an important part of your participation grade in those sessions.
6 Classroom Policy
To encourage an active and engaging environment in the classroom, general courtesies are expected and the following are NOT allowed:
Use of laptops (except for class purposes)
Use of mobile phones and beepers
Tardiness
Personal conversations
Eating lunch
Late Work Policy:
Any missed midterms shall be made up only if you are granted excused absence.
Please note than making up an exam is possible only in an emergency, and requires written documentation as to the reason for the absence.
Please respect the deadlines, since any submission made after the specified deadline, or any missed midterm exam is at your own risk. Any work submitted after the specified deadline, if accepted, will be docked 20% for each day late.
Academic Integrity:
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect.
Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behavior (http://www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behavior which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
Audio or video recording of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as part of an approved accommodation plan. Recorded material is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.
Policy about course outlines can be found in Section 23.4(2) of the University Calendar.
7 A final note:
Though this syllabus is necessarily formal, class sessions themselves need not be.
My goal is to make this course engaging and interesting for everyone. Consumer behavior guides important marketing decisions, but it also covers many topics to which we all can relate. I hope to bring up such relevant examples as much as possible and I encourage you to do so! I also hope that you will gain advantage in your future job interviews -and ultimately in your careers- by properly applying the concepts, frameworks, models and examples covered in this course.
If you have any questions, concerns, or improvement suggestions about the course please do not hesitate to contact me. Constructive feedback by email (please state the course name MARK 320 in the subject) is always welcome and I will respond to e-mails as soon as possible.
Class Schedule
Changes to this schedule can be made if needed and will be announced in advance.
Date Topic Reading Notes
September 5 Class Introduction - -
September 7 Intro to Consumer Behavior Chapter 1 -
September 10 Perception Chapter 2 -
September 12 Perception Chapter 2 -
September 14 Learning and Memory Chapter 3 -
September 17 Learning and Memory Chapter 3 -
September 19 Motivation and Values Chapter 4 Group Names Due
September 21 Motivation and Values Chapter 4 -
September 24 The Consumer Self Chapter 5 Presentations 1-3 September 26 The Consumer Self Chapter 5 Presentations 4-6 September 28 Personality and Lifestyles Chapter 6 Presentations 7-9 October 1 Personality and Lifestyles Chapter 6 Guest Speaker (TBA)
October 3 Attitudes Chapter 7 Presentations 10-12
October 5 Conference-No class - -
October 8 Thanksgiving-No class - -
October 10 Attitude Change Chapter 8 Presentations 13-15
October 12 Catch-up/Review - -
October 15 Exam 1 (Chapters 1-8) - -
October 17 Individual Decision Making Chapter 9 Presentations 16-18 October 19 Individual Decision Making Chapter 9 Presentations 19-21 October 22 Buying and Disposing Chapter 10 Presentations 22-24 October 24 Group Influence Chapter 11 Presentations 25-27 October 26 Group Influence Chapter 11 Project Outlines Due October 29 Household Decision Making Chapter 12 Presentations 28-30 October 31 Household Decision Making Chapter 12 Guest Speaker (TBA) November 2 Income and Social Class Chapter 13 Presentations 31-33 November 5 Age Subcultures Chapter 14 Presentations 34-36 November 7 Canadian Identity and Ethnic
Subcultures Chapter 15 Presentations 37-39
8 November 9 Canadian Identity and Ethnic
Subcultures Chapter 15 Guest Speaker (TBA)
November 12 Remembrance Day-No class - -
November 14 Cultural Influences Chapter 16 Presentations 40-42 November 16 Cultural Diffusion Chapter 17 Presentations 43-44
November 19 Cultural Diffusion Chapter 17 -
November 21 Catch-up/Review - -
November 23 Exam 2 (Chapters 9-17) - -
November 26 Group Project Prep-No class - -
November 28 Group Presentations 1-3 - Project Report Due
November 30 Group Presentations 4-6 - -
December 3 Group Presentations 7-9 - -
December 5 Group Presentations 10-12 - -
Individual Presentations
Presentations Theme & Related Chapter 1, 2, 3 Perception
4 ,5, 6 Learning and Memory 7, 8, 9 Motivation and Values 10, 11, 12 The Consumer Self
13, 14, 15 Personality and Lifestyles 16, 17, 18 Attitudes
19, 20, 21 Attitude Change
22, 23, 24 Individual Decision Making 25, 26, 27 Buying and Disposing 28, 29, 30 Group Influence
31, 32, 33 Household Decision Making 34, 35, 36 Income and Social Class 37, 38, 39 Age Subcultures
40, 41, 42 Canadian Identity and Ethnic Subcultures 43, 44 Cultural Influences