BK202 - Consumer Behaviour

Credit Points: 15 credit points

Workload: 36 hours

Prerequisite: BB105 Marketing Principles

Co-requisite: N/A

Aims & Objectives

This is a second-year Core Unit in the Bachelor of Business, major in Marketing, and offered as an Elective Unit in the Bachelor of Business major in Management. For Course Learning Outcomes and further information relating to Bachelor of Business programs please visit our website:  http://www.mit.edu.au/study-with-us/programs/bachelor-business.

In this unit to facilitate thorough understanding of consumer behaviour, we will explore models and frameworks of consumer decision-making, and the effects that various internal drives and external influences have on our actions and decisions. In this increasingly competitive world of business it has never been more important to attain an in-depth understanding of consumer behaviour - a complex multi-faceted field of study which provides real insights that can be practically applied in marketing to gain competitive advantage. While we are all consumers in day to day life, few of us fully understand the internal and external mechanisms driving us to behave in certain ways and make specific buying and consumption decisions - what drives us to study, to our choice of car, to body art or even to socially undesirable behaviours such as compulsive gambling? Are our decisions impacted by internal drivers or by forces in our external environment such as family and culture? In reality it is often a combination of these influences, thus it is important to understand not only where those influences are coming from, but also how they interact with each other to result in consumer decisions.

Unit topics include:

  • Understanding Consumer Behaviour
  • Motivation, Ability and Opportunity
  • From Exposure to Comprehension
  • Attitudes Based on High Efforts
  • Problem Recognition and Information Systems
  • Judgement and Decision Making Based on High efforts
  • Post Decision Process
  • Consumer diversity
  • Household and Social Class Influence
  • Psychographics Values, Personality and Lifestyles
  • Innovation: Adoption, Resistance and Diffusion

Learning Outcomes

The Course learning outcomes applicable to this unit are listed on the Melbourne Institute of Technology’s website: www.mit.edu.au
At the completion of this unit students should be able to:
a. Analyse the conception of consumer behaviour and reveal its importance as a framework to help managers understand and solve marketing problems.
b. Evaluate the influence of the internal factors of perception, motivation, learning, attitude, personal characteristics and personality on the behaviour of customers.
c. Discuss the consumer decision making process and identify the role of the consumer as a decision maker and a product user.
d. Evaluate the influence of society and social class on consumer behaviour and identify the diversities in consumers.
e. Apply the understanding of consumer behaviour into a real world business scenario and develop marketing strategies for competitive advantage.

Assessment

Assessment Task Due Date A B Unit Learning Outcomes
1. Formative Assessment Week 3 - 5% a-d
2. Contribution and Participation Weeks 1-12 - 5% a-e
3. Individual Report Week 5 15% - a-e
4. Report [Group] Week 8 15% - a-e
5. Presentation [Group] Week 8 - 10% a-e
6. Case Study Analysis [ Individual] (3 hours) TBA - 50% a-e
TOTALS   30% 70% 100%

Task Type: Type A: unsupervised, Type B: supervised.

Contribution and Participation (5%)

This unit has class participation as an assessment. The assessment task and marking rubric will follow the Guidelines on Assessing Class Participation (https://www.mit.edu.au/about-us/governance/institute-rules-policies-and-plans/policies-procedures-and-guidelines/Guidelines_on_Assessing_Class_Participation). Further details will be provided in the assessment specification on the type of assessment tasks and the marking rubrics.

Teaching Methods

NOTE: All School of Business units 3-hour workshops Flipped Classroom Mode.

Textbook and Reference Materials

Note: Students are required to purchase the prescribed text book and have it available each week in class.

Prescribed Text Book

  • Rajgopal (2018). Consumer Behavior Theories: Convergence of Divergent Perspectives with Applications to Marketing and Management. USA: Business Expert Press.

Other recommended references

  • Quester, P., Neal, C., Pettigrew, S. Grimmer, M., Davis, T. & Hawkins, D. (2014). Consumer Behaviour: Implications for Marketing Strategy (7th ed.). NSW : McGraw-Hill Irwin.
  • Solomon, M. (2012). Consumer Behaviour (10th ed.). Prentice Hall.
  • Schiffman, L. (2011). Consumer Behaviour (5th ed.). Prentice Hall.

Adopted Reference Style: APA can be found in MIT library referencing
The Referencing style for this using is APA: See the MIT Library Referencing webpage: https://library.mit.edu.au/referencing/APA and the Unit Moodle page for additional referencing support material and weblinks.

Graduate Attributes

MIT is committed to ensure the course is current, practical and relevant so that graduates are “work ready” and equipped for life-long learning. In order to accomplish this, the MIT Graduate Attributes identify the required knowledge, skills and attributes that prepare students for the industry.
The level to which Graduate Attributes covered in this unit are as follows:

Ability to communicate Independent and Lifelong Learning Ethics Analytical and Problem Solving Cultural and Global Awareness Team work Specialist knowledge of a field of study

Legend

Levels of attainment Extent covered
The attribute is covered by theory and practice, and addressed by assessed activities in which the students always play an active role, e.g. workshops, lab submissions, assignments, demonstrations, tests, examinations.
The attribute is covered by theory or practice, and addressed by assessed activities in which the students mostly play an active role, e.g. discussions, reading, intepreting documents, tests, examinations.
The attribute is discussed in theory or practice; it is addressed by assessed activities in which the students may play an active role, e.g. lectures and discussions, reading, interpretation, workshops, presentations.
The attribute is presented as a side issue in theory or practice; it is not specifically assessed, but it is addressed by activities such as lectures or tutorials.
The attribute is not considered, there is no theory or practice or activities associated with this attribute.