Management 3210Y
Consumer Behaviour
Summer 2008
Tuesdays & Thursdays 6:00 pm. – 8:50 p.m.
Room: MB021
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/200802/mgt3210y/
TEXT:
Michael R. Solomon, Judith L. Zaichkowsky, Rosemary Polegato, 2008. Consumer
Behaviour: Buying, Having, and Being, (4th 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.
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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: See below for
dates
1. Mid-term Exam
The mid-term exam will cover the assigned readings and all material discussed in
class plus or presented in videos.
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.
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.
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 3rd week 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. Part of the research for this project will
involve primary research collected through a questionnaire administered to a small
sample of the target market. The project includes a class presentation at the end of the
term, and a written report, which must be limited to 25 pages in length (excluding
appendices).
Since leaving the project to the end of the semester 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
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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,, involves a profile of your repositioned 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,
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 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.
Weight: 25% of final grade
Component
1. Team Selection
2. Group Project Phase One
3. Personal Consumer Behaviour Journal
4. Mid-term exam
5. Group Project Phase Two
6. Print Ad Assignment
7. Group Presentations
8. Group project due
9. Final Exam
Weighting
10%
20%
10%
10%
25%
25%
Due date
Jul 10
Jul 17
Jul 15
Jul 22
Jul 31
Aug 5
Aug 12
Aug 14
Aug 19
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
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.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism: “to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one’s own”
(Webster’s). Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will automatically result in a zero
grade for the submission. Any student caught plagiarizing may also be subject to
additional University sanctions. The University’s policies and procedures on
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academic
offences
can
be
found
at
the
following
website:
http://www.uleth.ca/reg/calendar/part04.pdf The University of Lethbridge subscribes
to a plagiarism detection service. Students may be required to submit their written
work in electronic form for plagiarism checking.
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 3
Jul 8
Jul 10
Jul 15
Jul 17
Jul 22
Jul 24
Jul 29
Jul 31
Aug 5
Aug 7
Aug 12
Aug 14
Aug 19
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
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
Topic
Readings & Assignment Dates
Introduction
Chapter 1
Perception, Learning & Memory
Chapters 2 and 3
Motivation, Values, the Self
Team Selection Due Chapters 4
and 5
Personality and Lifestyles
Chapter 6 Journal Assignment
due
Attitudes and Attitude change
Chapters 7, 8
Group Project Phase One Due
Midterm Exam
Individual decision making, Buying Chapters 9 and 10
and Disposing
Group Influences, Opinion leadership
Chapter
11
Phase
two
Word of Mouth.
presentations & Questionnaire
pre-test
Family decision-making and age Chapters 12 and 15 Group
subcultures
Project Phase Two Due
Income & social class Ethnic, regional Chapters 13 and 14 Ad Analysis
subcultures,
Assignment Due
Cultural Influences on Consumer
Chapters 16 and 17
Behaviour
All groups must be prepared to
Group presentations
present this date Order will be
determined by lot.
Group presentations
Completed Group Project Due
Final Exam
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