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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA School Of Business
Department Of Marketing, Business Economics, And Law
MARK 320, B1 Winter Term 2005
Instructor: Webb Dussome Course Outline
Class Time: MWF 10:00 – 10:50 Class Location: BUS 3-06
Office: BUS 3-20B Business Phone:(780) 492-0675 Fax: (780) 492-3325
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://ulearn.ualberta.ca/webapps/login
Office Hours: W 12:00-13:00, F 12:00 – 14:00, or by appointment
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Marketing begins and ends with the consumer—from determining needs to providing consumer satisfaction. Thus, a clear understanding of consumers’ buying behavior is crucial for
successfully managing the marketing function.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the study of consumer behavior, with particular emphasis on consumer decision making. In order to better understand the consumer and to develop more effective marketing strategies, we will examine concepts and theories from marketing and from related behavioural sciences, especially psychology and economics. The instructor’s goals are for students to learn these key concepts and, more importantly, to develop their ability to apply them in analysing marketing situations and developing appropriate
marketing strategies.
REQUIRED TEXT
Hoyer, Wayne D. and Deborah J. MacInnis, Consumer Behavior (Third Edition), Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004
Students may also want to access the consumer behavior web site at:
http://www.library.ualberta.ca/subject/business/consumerbehaviour/index.cfm
Other course material will be derived from a number of other books, most notably: Consumer Behavior - Buying, Having and Being (Third Canadian Edition), by Michael R. Solomon, Judith L. Zaichowsky, and Rosemary Polegato. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada, Inc., 2005.
Students are not expected to purchase this book.
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EVALUATION
Midterm1 25% Monday, January 31, 2005 Midterm2 25% Friday, March 4, 2005
Participation 5%
Final Exam 45% per University schedule Term Project (optional)** 25%
Students should familiarize themselves with the University’s guidelines regarding exam deferrals.
In determining the student’s final grade, the instructor will consider the student’s overall individual course performance in an absolute sense (50% is considered the minimum passing percentage), and also each student’s performance relative to his/her peer’s performance.
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 Behaviour (online at
www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behaviour 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.
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON COURSE OUTLINES
Policy about course outlines can be found in Section 23.4(2) of the University Calendar.
PARTICIPATION
Participation will account for 5% of the final grades. Credit for participation is granted based on input to classroom discussions. Hence, it is in the student’s interest to read the required materials prior to class, and be ready to provide input into the class discussions.
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**OPTIONAL TERM PROJECT (students choosing this option are exempt from one of the midterms)
Students may conduct a term project. These projects can be conducted by research teams of three or four people. The team can select a topic and a presentation date, in consultation with the instructor. The project includes a class presentation and a written report. Presentations can begin in the fifth week and continue until the end of the term. Topics and presentation times can be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Presentations will be limited to 20 minutes. All projects must be initiated and completed exclusively for this course, and they must be directly relevant to the study of consumer behavior.
Topics
Several approaches to the term project are appropriate. You may choose one of the following, or you may suggest one of your own, in which case you should discuss it with the instructor first to ensure it will be acceptable and realistic.
Library paper: A topic raised in the text or the lectures may catch your interest and you may wish to know more about it. This approach involves going to the library and finding other books, articles, and academic research reports on the subject, distilling the information,
developing your own ideas, and reporting on your findings. Sample topics may include, but are not limited to, classical conditioning in advertising, ethics and consumer behavior, etc.
Case Study: You may choose an interesting problem or opportunity that has been encountered by a firm or industry. Information on a case of this type may be obtained from trade journals, newspapers, business magazines, and sometimes from previously prepared cases. These resources are available in the library.
Evaluation of Projects
Reports should not exceed 14-15 double spaced pages (12 point font, 1 inch margins), and they will be evaluated according to the following criteria: careful and complete research, logical development of conclusions and implications, originality, and quality of the written report (including coherence, grammar, and spelling). Reports are due on the day of the presentation.
Presentations will be evaluated according to content, originality, class interest and participation, and professionalism.
Overall, project evaluations will be based on the class presentation (5%) and the written report (20%). Each student’s final project mark is based on the quality of the group’s project and their peers’ assessment of their performance in the group. The instructor will provide forms and procedures to student groups to aid in the objectivity of the peer evaluation process.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
The following schedule is provided as a general guideline. Depending on the flow of the course, it could change slightly, so students should keep current on in class activities.
Date Topic
January 10/12/14 Chapters 1/2
January 17/19/21 Chapters 3/4
January 24/26/28 Chapters 5/6
January 31 Midterm1
February 2/4 Chapter 7
February 7/9/11 Chapters 8/9
February 14/16/18 Chapters 10/11 February 21/23/25 Reading Week, no classes February 28, March 2 Chapter 12 + exam review
March 4 Midterm2
March 7/9/11 Chapters 13/14
March 14/16/18 Chapter 15
March 21/23 Chapters 16/17
March 25/28 Easter Break
March 30, April 1 Chapter 18
April 4/6/8 Chapters 19/20
April 11/13/15 Chapter 21 + exam review