Management 3210Y Consumer Behaviour Summer 2006 Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:00 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. Room: HB-S MB220 Instructor: Chris Holdsworth (B.SC., MA, D.Phil) E-Mail: christopher.holdswor@uleth.ca or chrishol@telusplanet.net Office Hours: before or after class or by appointment Class Web Page: http://classes.uleth.ca/200602/mgt3210y/ TEXT: Michael R. Solomon, Judith L. Zaichkowsky, Rosemary Polegato, 2004. Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, and Being, (3rd Canadian Edition) Toronto: Prentice Hall. Additional study materials, relevant web links, and practise tests are available on the publisher's companion Web site at: www.pearsoned.ca/solomon COURSE DESCRIPTION This course examines the psychological, social, and cultural processes that shape our purchasing decisions and how marketers identify and apply these sources of influence in formulating their marketing strategies. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this course are to: 1. To understand the psychological, social, and cultural processes influencing consumer behaviour 2. To understand the implications consumer behaviour has for formulating marketing strategies. 3. To gain experience applying consumer behaviour concepts and theories to practical marketing issues. 4. To increase your awareness of both the internal and external forces at work in your own consumption behaviour. COURSE FORMAT: The course will follow an interactive lecture-discussion format and small group activities. Classes will not necessarily repeat or cover all the material in the text but will elaborate on selected topics and use additional case studies to provide a deeper understanding of the material. Assigned textbook readings may be augmented with suggested additional readings and handouts. Although not a grade component, students are expected to contribute to class discussions so attendance and participation is therefore essential. Students are also required to work on a group project and make a presentation to the class. 1 ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION Although attendance and participation are not considered in the grade for this course students are expected to attend all classes and to contribute to class discussions based on the assigned readings. Students will be unable to make valuable contributions to the discussion, or benefit from the contributions of others, if the readings have not been done beforehand. As students are required to demonstrate a working knowledge of all course materials in exams, grades will suffer if more than two classes are missed. ASSESSMENT Assessment for this course will be based on the following components: 1. Mid-term Exam The mid-term exam will cover the assigned readings and all material discussed in class plus or presented in videos. Date: Jul 20 Weight: 20% of final grade. 2. Personal Consumer Behaviour Journal We are all consumers and there is no better way to begin to understand why others purchase things than to become aware of the influences on one's own behaviour. During the first few weeks of the course students will be required to keep a journal of their own purchasing decisions. A short, 4-5 page summary of the decisions made and insights gained from them must be handed in. Late papers will lose 10% per day that they are late. Additional information will be provided the first day of class. Date due: July 25 Weight: 10% of final grade. 3. Print Ad Assignment Students are required to find a print ad that illustrates the effective use of some theory(s) or concept(s) discussed in class and submit a one to two page written discussion of the underlying principles that make it an effective ad. A copy or photocopy of the print ad must also be submitted. Further details will be provided on the first day of class. Date due: Aug 3 Weight: 10% of final grade. 4. Group Project Students will work in teams of 3-5 people on a project designed to integrate and apply the course material to the development of a real-world marketing strategy. Teams must be formed by the 2nd day of class. The project requires you to select and research a product or service category, select a brand within that category, then reposition it according to the needs of a new market segment, and develop a marketing plan for the repositioned brand. Alternatively, you may create a new product or service and position it.. Part of the research for this project will involve primary research collected either through in-depth interviews or a questionnaire administered to a small sample of the target market. The project includes a class presentation at the end of the course, and a written report, which must be limited to 25 pages in length (excluding appendices). As this course is only 6 weeks long time will be provided in class to meet with other group members and to consult with the instructor. 2 Since leaving the project to the end of the course is counterproductive it needs to be completed in three phases. The first two phases will not be graded, as the aim is to provide feedback and to help you make steady progress. For each phase not handed in on time, however, the group will lose 10% of the overall project grade. Phase one, due July 11, requires a one to two page description of the product category the group has chosen to focus on, a breakdown of the responsibilities among group members, and a project plan. Phase two, due July 27th, involves a profile of your repositioned or new product category's market, a description and justification of your new target segment, and a draft of your questionnaire. You will also be required to give a short (5-7 minute) oral presentation to the class describing your product or service and its new target segment. The aim of this presentation is to receive feedback from other students in the class. Part of the class on this date may be used to pre-test and receive feedback on the questionnaire. Phase three consists of a class presentation and a final report. Group presentations will be on Aug 10 and 15th, Order of presentation will be determined by lot. They should last approximately 20 minutes and will be worth 10% of the final grade. The final report, is due August 15th, must be a professional and polished document, no more than 25 double-spaced pages, excluding any appendices, references or exhibits. The final report is worth 25% of the final grade. More details on this project will be handed out at the first class. Weight: 35% of final grade (10% presentation, 25% report) 5. Final Exam The final exam will be a registrar-scheduled exam and will cover the assigned readings and all material discussed in class plus any material presented in videos and group/individual presentations since the mid-term - i.e. it is not cumulative. Date: August 17 Weight: 25% of final grade Component 1. Team Selection 2. Group Project Phase One 3. Mid-term exam 4. Personal Consumer Behaviour Journal 5. Group Project Phase Two 6. Print Ad Assignment 7. Group Presentations 8. Group project 9. Final Exam Weighting 20% 10% 10% 10% 25% 25% Due date Jul 6 Jul 11 Jul 20 Jul 25 Jul 27 Aug 3 Aug 10 Aug 15 Aug 17 DEFERRALS AND MISSED EXAMINATIONS Exams must be taken at the scheduled times and assignments handed in on the dates specified. Course material submitted late will lose 10% of the mark per day that they are late. Students may be granted an extension on submissions or deferral from writing the mid-term exam only due to illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond their control and with the presentation of a valid written explanation from the 3 appropriate authority, e.g. a physician or employer. Alternative arrangements may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Students who miss the final exam must apply to the Dean for deferral. GRADING SCHEME: Each item of course work will be weighted as above and a final mark out of 100 calculated. This will then be converted to a letter grade in compliance with the University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Management's formula as indicated below. All team members will receive the same mark for the group project. Students will, however, have the opportunity to provide a confidential evaluation of their peers. If such evaluations indicate that one or more members of the group have failed to contribute their fair share of the work their mark for the project may be negatively adjusted. It is important, however, that any problems with group members be brought to the attention of the instructor as soon as possible. Grading Scale: A+ = 95-100% B+ = 82-85.9 C+ = 70-73.9 D+ = 58-61.9 Date Jul 4 Jul 6 Jul 11 Jul 13 Jul 18 Jul 20 Jul 25 A = 90-94.9% B = 78-81.9 C = 66-69.9 D = 50-57.9 A- = 86-89.9% B- = 74-77.9 C- = 62-65.9 F = 0-49 CLASS SCHEDULE Topic Readings & Assignment Dates Introduction Chapter 1 Perception, Learning & Memory Chapters 2 and 3 Team Selection Due Motivation, Values, the Self Chapters 4 and 5 Group Project Phase One Due Personality and Lifestyles Chapter 6 Attitudes and Attitude change Chapters 7, 8 Aug 10 Midterm Exam Individual decision making, Buying and Disposing Group Influences, Opinion leadership, Word of Mouth. Phase two presentations & Questionnaire pre-test Family decision-making and age subcultures Income & social class Ethnic, regional subcultures Cultural Influences on Consumer Behaviour, Revision Group presentations Aug 15 Aug 17 Group presentations Final Exam Jul 27 Aug 1 Aug 3 Aug 8 Chapters 9 and 10 Journal Assignment due Chapter 11 Group Project Phase Two Due Chapters 12 and 15 Chapters 13 and 14 Ad Analysis Assignment Due Chapters 16 and 17 All groups must be prepared to present this date Order will be determined by lot. Completed Group Project Due 6:00 pm 4