CUSTOMER_CODE
SMUDE
DIVISION_CODE
SMUDE
EVENT_CODE
JAN2016
ASSESSMENT_CODE MK0011_JAN2016
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
18736
QUESTION_TEXT
State the meaning of ‘Behavioural theory’. Explain any two important
behavioral theories.
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
Behavioural Theory
( 2 marks)
Behavioural learning theories are sometimes also referred to as
connectionist or stimulus
response theories. Behavioural theories are based on stimulus response
(S-R) orientation and the belief is that learning occurs through the
connection between the stimulus and a response. When an individual
responds in a predictable manner to a known stimulus, the person is said
to have “learned.” Two important behavioural theories, classical
conditioning (also called respondent conditioning) and instrumental
conditioning (also called operant conditioning) are of great relevance to
marketing.
Classical conditioning
( 6 marks)
Classical conditioning pairs one stimulus with another that already elicits
a given response and over a period of repeated trial, the new stimulus
will also start causing the same or quite similar response.
Two factors are important for learning to occur through the associative
process. The first is contiguity (conditioned stimulus and unconditioned
stimulus must be close in time and space). The second factor is the
repetition (the frequency of association). The more the frequency of
unconditioned and conditioned stimuli occurring together, the stronger
the association between them will develop.
Three basic concepts important for understanding consumer Behaviour:
repetition, stimulus generalization and stimulus discrimination.
Repetition
Repetition is believed to work by strengthening the bond of association
and thus slowing the process of forgetting. Learning follows a pattern,
which is known as learning curve. In a typical case, the rate of learning
is quite rapid in the early stages. In later stages, as the amount learned
accumulates, the rate of learning per repetition decreases. This shows
that there is a limit to the amount of repetition that will aid learning and
beyond a limit, the attention and the rate of learning will decline.
Stimulus generalization
Stimulus generalization occurs when two stimuli are seen as similar and
the effects of one, therefore, can be substituted for the effects of the
other.
As an increasing number of new products are introduced in the market,
consumers use stimulus generalization from past experience to put them
in categories. Some local or marketers make use of this principle
generalization by using nearly look-alike packaging for their products so
that they resemble some well-known brands in appearance.
Product line extension is the strategy of introducing variations of the
same product.
Product form extension means that the same product is available in
different physical forms such as Dettol soap cake and Dettol liquid soap.
Product category extension is diversifying into producing products in
different categories and using the same established brand name.
Family branding refers to the practice of marketing the entire product
mix of a company under the same family brand name.
Stimulus discrimination
Stimulus discrimination is just apposite to stimulus generalization.
Unlike reaction to similarity of stimuli, discrimination is a reaction to
differences among similar stimuli.
Instrumental conditioning (Operant conditioning) ( 2 marks)
Instrumental conditioning also involves developing association between
stimulus and response but requires the subject to discover a correct
response that will be reinforced. Any response elicited is within the
conscious control of the subject.
With regard to consumer behaviour, instrumental conditioning suggests
that most learning takes place by means of a trail-error process and
consumers experience more satisfying results (outcomes or rewards) in
case of some purchases than others.
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
72730
QUESTION_TEXT
What are the five categories of adopters classified by time of adoption?
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
(Each category carries 2.5 marks)
The five categories of adopters are:
Innovators : They constitute, on an average the first 2.5 percent of all those
consumers who adopt the new product and are technology enthusiasts. Their
venturesome attitude is reflected in their risk taking willingness and eagerness
bordering obsession to try new products and ideas.
Early adopters:They represent, on an average, the next 13.5 percent who
adopt the new product. They admire a technologically new product not so much
for its features as for its abilities to create a revolutionary breakthrough in the
way things are normally accomplished.
Early majority:They constitute the next 34% of the people to adopt an
innovation and adopt new ideas just prior or the average time. They deliberate
for sometime collecting information and evaluating other brands, before
adopting. They adopt innovations earlier than most of their social group but
only after the innovation is considered successful.
Late majority: They represent next 34 percent to adopt an innovation after the
early majority. They are sceptical about innovations and adopt new ideas just
after the average time, approaching the innovations cautiously.
Laggards: They represent the last 16 percent of adopters. They are traditional,
most localite in outlook, dogmatic and oriented to the past.
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
72731
QUESTION_TEXT
Explain the various sources of information available to the consumer in
making a purchase decisions.
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
The various sources of information available to the consumer in making a
purchase decisions are:
The first source pertains to internal information and the remaining four pertain
to external information:
• Long-term memory – Source of internal information which is stored in the
long-term memory based on earlier searched, personal experiences and low
involvement learning.
• Personal source – These include family, friends, neighbours and peer
groups.
• Independent sources – Include newspapers, magazines, journals,
consumer reports and government agencies.
• Marketer controlled sources – These include advertising, sales personnel,
direct mail etc.
• Experiential sources – This refers to inspection of products or product
trial. It is the consumer's prerogative to decide how many and which sources
of information to use
Internet as a source of information
(Each component to be explained in at least 3 sentences.
(10 Marks)
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
125768
QUESTION_TEXT
Describe the 4 strategies based on Fishbien’s multi-attribute model
considered to change attitude.
●
By changing the values consumers place on product attributes
(2.5 marks)
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
QUESTION_TYPE
●
By changing consumers’ brand beliefs (2.5 marks).
●
By changing brand evaluations (2.5 marks).
●
By changing behavioural intentions (2.5 marks).
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
125770
QUESTION_TEXT
Explain the VALS with suitable examples describing each type of
consumer
Stanford Research Institute developed a popular approach to
psychographic segmentation called
Values and Lifestyles (VALS)
According to it VALS has 2 dimensions
*
*
Primary motivations
Resources
5 marks
SRI has identified 3 basic motivations
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
*
Ideals
*
Acheivement
*
Self-expression
Various lifestyle of consumers based are
*
Innovators
*
Thinkers
*
Believers
*
Strivers
*
Survivors
*
Experiencers
*
Makers
5 marks
QUESTION_TYPE
DESCRIPTIVE_QUESTION
QUESTION_ID
125772
QUESTION_TEXT
Discuss different types of message appeals that are commonly used.
Give examples.
Message appeals are broadly classified
Rational appeals
Example are Ad message that promise economy, assurance of resale
value,quality, durability reliability. This ad conveys the reliability and
ease of use
Emotional appeals
Love, affection, joy, pride, humour, prestige status are some of
positive emotional appeals
Fear, shame, guilt , embarrassment are negative emotions
SCHEME OF
EVALUATION
Fear appeals
Fear is an emotional response to some threat or danger
Toothpaste, mouth wash, deodorant and a lrge number of other
products and [i]
Other services use fear appeals
Humor appeals
Humour generates feelings of amusement and pleasures
Humour attracts attention
Source credibility can be enhanced with humour