THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
Fisher College of Business
BUSML 7202 - Consumer Behavior – MBA
Dr. Blair Kidwell – Syllabus (Fall 2014 – Term 1)
Instructor Objectives Text Grades Assignments Policies Calendar
ORIENTATION
Marketing begins and ends with the consumer – therefore it is
essential that if one is to understand marketing, they must
understand the consumer. This course is designed to give you,
the student, an overview of consumer behavior and is intended
to acquaint you with both what it means to be a consumer in a
market-oriented society and what, as a marketer, you need to
know to understand the role of meeting the consumer’s needs
in the development of marketing strategy.
Instructor Information
Instructor:
Dr. Blair Kidwell
Email:
Blair Kidwell (Kidwell_82@fisher.osu.edu)
Office:
532 Fisher Hall
Telephone:
(614) 688-1312
Website:
Office
Hours:
http://fisher.osu.edu/departments/marketing-andlogistics/faculty/marketing/blair-kidwell/
By appointment only. Email usually ensures the
quickest response.
1
Course Objectives
This course samples the diverse domain of consumer behavior and uncovers the most recent insights for
business practice. Understanding consumers—or ourselves, as consumers—is no easy task. Perhaps its
difficulty is best reflected in the number of new product introductions that fail each year. Yet, a solid
understanding of the consumer can offer insight beyond business acumen and help guide a plethora of
business decisions. In this course, students will be exposed to a selected range of CB topics. In the past,
the audience for this course has been quite diverse, including students from business, as well as law,
government studies, public health and policy, and environmental engineering.
This will quite possibly be unlike any other business course that you have taken – consumer behavior is
very much based on concepts and theories from the behavioral sciences including psychological,
sociological, and anthropology, to analyze their usefulness for developing marketing strategies. To this
end, we will explore processes involved in consumption and ways in which we, as marketers, are better
able to predict and influence consumer’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with in the marketing
environment.
Like most disciplines, marketing has very few hard and fast “rules” or “established procedures” that
ensure success. This will become especially obvious in this consumer behavior course. So, rather than
look for “the one right answer,” we will examine ideas and approaches that may be useful for
understanding consumers’ behavior. You will also add some ideas of your own, and together we will see
how useful these concepts can be for analyzing, developing and implementing successful marketing
strategies. Ideally, we can create an open atmosphere in which we can creatively and imaginatively discuss
our ideas. In the process, we can develop our intellectual skills and ultimately become better thinkers, as
well as better marketers.
Course Deliverables
This is a lecture course in the tradition of classic “liberal arts” training. Students will be assigned grades
that reflect their performance on participation in the class, discussion and mini-cases and one final exam
that tests a strong knowledge of key concepts and a strategic understanding of how they are applied in the
marketplace. Student questions are encouraged and cold-calling should be expected.
Final grade will be based on your performance in the following areas out of 100 points possible:
Weekly Assignments (5 x 6 points)
Final Exam
Participation/In-class group work
Total
30
60
10
100
Weekly Assignments: Each week, I will assign “weekly assignments” designed to illustrate important
concepts and topics. While they require some effort, they are intended to be an enjoyable application of
the material and not high in level of difficulty. They will give you direct experience in using the theoretical
concepts covered in class. These assignments are designed to provide a springboard for class discussions
and facilitate the application of theory to practice and to trigger interesting questions. These assignments
are due at the start of the class period that covers that topic. Please note that I do not accept late
submissions of these projects under ANY circumstances. There will be NO make-up assignments.
2
Final Exam: There will be a final exam. This is a conceptual exam that offers a traditional method to
assess learning. This exam will be given during the appointed final exam period. It will be open note, essay
format. The questions will come directly from the notes. I will give you a short list of review topics from
which the questions will be drawn. There will be NO make-up exam. If you miss the exam without
clearing it with me either beforehand or as soon as possible in the case of an emergency situation, you will
receive a zero on the exam. *Note: If you come more than 20 minutes late for an exam or if anyone has
already left the room, whichever is earlier, you cannot take the exam and will receive a 0.
Class Participation/In-class Exercises: Discussion participation will be assessed by class contribution
and the “real world application discussion” contribution. Regular attendance and participation in
discussions is expected of each student and will account for a small but important 10 points toward your
final grade. Students should expect to be called on at random throughout the term, either to initiate class
discussion or to respond to a question. In-class exercises may be conducted at various times throughout
the term at my discretion. Your participation and performance during these exercises will also count
toward the 10 points. You MUST attend class to receive credit for in-class assignments. These cannot be
made up. Even when the absence is excused. This is probably self-evident, but let me explicitly note that
participation grades are negatively impacted by:
 Checking phones or other electronic devices in the classroom
 Failure to treat other students or their comments with respect
 Asking me about anything that can be clearly found in the syllabus
Course Materials
There are two primary types of course materials: course readings and class slides:
Course Readings: The course readings consist of scientific papers, articles, and handouts, whose findings
implications complement the class topics. On the first day of class, we will discuss how you should approach
reading these materials and how much time/effort you should devote in order to successfully prepare for
class. If you ever find yourself especially curious about a particular topic, please ask and I would be happy to
point you to other relevant papers or articles that you can access through the OSU Library. Academic
business journals are goldmines of free research and insight!
Class Slides: Class slides will be provided for each days lecture on Carmen! You may also bring your laptop
into class and type directly into the notes. Please do not abuse this privilege. I know it is tempting to check
email or Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tinder, or whatever, during class, but this merely detracts from your
learning and others learning around you. Please respect the integrity of the classroom and the opportunity to
use laptops during class.
The following text is NOT required but recommended to supplement the lectures:
Peter and Olson, Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy, 9th Edition, Irwin-McGraw.
This is not a text book that trades style for substance. It not flashy, but its a solid textbook that you will find
helpful in supplementing and mastering relevant concepts. It will also help in preparing yourself for the
lectures and final exam.
3
Course Policies
Course
Communication: All class announcements, schedule changes, readings and teaching materials
will be announced in class or posted on Carmen. It is your responsibility to check the site. Please note that
what is on the Carmen site is current and supersedes any and all information you may have printed on an
earlier date. I may also need to contact you from time to time via e-mail. I will use your OSU account for
all e-mail correspondence. Please make sure that your e-mail account does not go over quota so that you
do not miss important course correspondence. If you use another e-mail account (e.g. gmail, hotmail,
yahoo, etc.), please be sure you forward your OSU e-mail to that account. Any changes to the information
contained in this syllabus will be announced in class and/or posted on Carmen. It is your responsibility to
keep track of scheduled examinations/project dates, any changes in these dates, material covered in the
class, and all other announcements made in the class.
Professional
Behavior: During class you are expected to be attentive. This means the following
behaviors are inappropriate: talking while I am presenting material in class, talking while other students are
presenting or participating in class discussions, interrupting me and your fellow students by arriving late for
class, using your cell phone, or other wireless device (voice or text), doing outside work, reading non-class
material, studying for another class, sleeping, etc. Further, I expect you to respect the opinions of others.
Thus, disagreements in points of view should not be made in an antagonistic or derogating manner. If I
feel you are disrupting the learning process of your classroom peers, you will be asked to leave. If you are
asked to leave twice in a term, you will receive a one-letter grade deduction on your final grade. Any
subsequent dismissals will result in an additional letter grade deduction from your final grade.
Questions:
When you don’t know something or are confused about a particular topic, do not hesitate to
ask me in class. There are probably others in the same situation. If I am speaking too quickly, ask me to
slow down. I won’t know unless you tell me. If you want a more detailed response, ask me outside of class.
Work Load: The University and College expectation is that students spend two hours outside of class for
every hour spent in class. Since this course meets 3 hours per week, you should expect to spend 6 hours
per week outside of class on course-related work.
Written
Assignments: Written work must be prepared in a professional manner. It is to be clearly
written, neat in appearance, with proper grammatical construction and correct spelling. Work that is not
presented in a professional manner will be reduced a full letter grade or at the very least, points will be
taken off. The grade assigned to written work will reflect both its appearance and analytical soundness.
The failure to complete assignments at the specified time represents a failure to meet your responsibilities.
Any assignment not submitted at the specified time will receive a grade of zero (0).
Handing in Your Work:
Everything that you turn in needs to be neat in appearance. Points will be
deducted if these guidelines are not followed. This includes:
 A cover page clearly indicating the title, your name and section number.
 12pt. (Times New Roman), typed, double-spaced, black ink, and 1-inch margins all around.
 Print quality should be very high, and of course legible.
Academic
Dishonesty: The Ohio State University and the Committee on Academic Misconduct
(COAM) expect that all students have read and understand the University’s Code of Student Conduct and that
all students will complete all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. Students must
4
recognize that failure to follow the rules and guidelines established in the University’s Code of Student
Conduct and this syllabus may constitute “Academic Misconduct.”
The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (Section 3335-23-04) defines academic misconduct as:
“Any activity that tends to compromise the academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational
process.” Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to) plagiarism, collusion
(unauthorized collaboration), copying the work of another student, and possession of unauthorized
materials during an examination. Ignorance of the University’s Code of Student Conduct is never considered
an “excuse” for academic misconduct, so I recommend that you review the Code of Student Conduct,
specifically, the sections dealing with academic misconduct.
If I suspect that a student has committed academic misconduct in this course, I am obligated by University
Rules to report my suspicions to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. If COAM determines that you
have violated the University’s Code of Student Conduct, the sanctions for the misconduct could include a
failing grade in this course and suspension or dismissal from the University.
Special Accommodations: A student with a disability or those who need special accommodations should
talk to the professor individually within the first two weeks of the class.
Course Contract
Agreement to the Terms of the Syllabus: This syllabus should be considered a “contract”, whereby you
agree to abide by the terms and requirements within this syllabus. If you are uncomfortable with or do not
wish to abide by the requirements listed in this syllabus, you should make arrangements to drop the class.
Your continued enrollment in the class assumes that you have agreed to all of the terms listed herein.
Course Topic Timeline (& examples of strategic impact)
Week 2
Week 3
Introduction
& Cognition
Affective
System
Perception &
Knowledge
Attitudes &
Decisions
Behavior &
Conditioning
Environment
& Personality
What is the role of
consumers in
marketing strategy?
How are consumers
impacted by
emotions?
Can the 5 senses,
such as smell or
touch, be used in
marketing?
How do product
attitudes form?
How do I get people
to try a new product?
How does culture
impact the way
consumers purchase?
When did CB emerge
as an important aspect
of marketing?
When should
emotional appeals
be used?
How do I get
consumers to pay
attention to my
marketing?
What can I do to
change attitudes?
How do I influence
consumers’
unconscious
behavior?
How do I appeal to
different age groups?
How do I make
messages memorable?
How can I use
emotions in colors
to sell my product?
How do I counteract
selective exposure?
How do I persuade
consumers who are
uninterested?
How do I know
which behaviors are
important?
How can I modify my
store atmosphere to
increase sales?
Can I use cognitive
biases to my
advantage?
How do I influence
consumers’ with
different levels of
emotional skills?
How can I tap
consumers’ core
values?
What affects the
amount of search
that consumers
engage in?
Do subliminal ads
exist and even work?
How do I create a
personality for my
brand?
Week 1
Week 4
5
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Final
Exam
Demonstrate
that you have
learned
something!
Show off
your CB
brilliance! 
Additional Readings
There are many popular press book titles (i.e., not text books!) that cover issues related to our
class discussions. I will be more than happy to recommend additional reading if you are interested.
Below are some good options to start with.


















Ariely, Dan (2008), Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions, Harper
Collins.
Ariely, Dan (2010), The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic, Harper
Collins.
Belsky, Gary and Thomas Gilovich (2000), Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes and
How to Correct Them: Lessons from the New Science of Behavioral Economics, Simon and Shuster
Cialdini, Robert (2006), Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Collins.
Gilovich, Thomas (1993), How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in
Everyday Life, Free Press.
Gladwell, Malcolm (2007), Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking, Back Bay Books.
Gladwell, Malcolm (2002), The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference,
Back Bay Books.
Heath, Chip and Dan Heath (2007), Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Some Die,
Random House.
Iyengar, Sheena (2011), The Art of Choosing, Twelve.
Kahneman, Daniel (2011), Thinking Fast and Slow, Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Lindstrom, Martin (2005), Brand Sense: Sensory Secrets Behind the Stuff We Buy, Free Press.
Lindstrom, Martin (2010), Buyology: Truth and Lies about Why We Buy, Broadway Books.
Miller, Geoffrey (2009), Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior, Viking.
Schwartz, Barry (2004), The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, Harper Collins.
Thaler, Richard H. and Cass Sunstein (2009), Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth,
and Happiness, Penguin.
Underhill, Paco (2004), Call of the Mall: The Geography of Shopping, Simon and Shuster.
Underhill, Paco (2009), Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping: Updated and Revised for the Internet,
the Global Consumer, and Beyond, Simon & Schuster.
Zaltman, Gerald (2003), How Consumers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market,
Harvard Business School Press.
6
Course Schedule
*Calendar is subject to change. All changes will be discussed in advance of the day affected.
Date
Topic
Assignment Due
Sept 8
Sept 15
Sept 22
Sept 29
Oct 6
Oct 13
Oct 15-17? (TBD)
Lecture: Introduction and Cognition
Lecture: Affect
Lecture: Perception and Knowledge
Lecture: Attitudes and Decision Making
Lecture: Behavior and Conditioning
Lecture: Environment and Personality
Final Exam – Open note essay format
Read Syllabus!
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4
Assignment 5
Study!!
7