DAYANANDA SAGAR BUSINESS SCHOOL
COURSE TITLE: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Course Instructor – Dr.S.SAIGANESH,
Course Description
To examine and understand the Concepts & theories of consumer behavior. Relating the concepts
through Indian examples drawn from various categories. To enable the students to connect consumer
behaviour with the application of appropriate marketing mix elements in the Indian Context. This
course helps in understanding what motivates consumers or customers and how they make purchase
decisions often translates into success or failure for a product or a company. To prepare students for
careers in Sales, Marketing, brand management, advertising, and consumer research.
Learning Objectives
1. What factors influence how consumers process information?
2. What are the rational and emotional bases for consumer actions?
3. What are the social and cultural dimensions of consumer behavior?
4. What are the implications of understanding consumer behavior for marketing strategy,
public policy, societal marketing, and for you as a consumer?
5. How does consumer behavior differ across cultures?
Measurable Learning Outcomes:
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Define consumer behavior.
Explain the foundations of consumer behavior.
Segmenting, Targeting
Identify the steps in the consumer decision process.
Identify and explain the individual determinants of consumer behavior.
Analyze the cultural, sub-cultural, and cross-cultural variations in consumer behavior.
Analyze the impact of reference groups on consumer behavior.
Explain the relationships between individual and organizational consumer behavior.
Assess the impact of globalization on domestic consumer behavior.
Summarize the current variables impacting consumer behavior
Pedagogy
Pedagogy for teaching will be a mix of lectures, class discussions; in-class exercises, video
presentations, article reviews and case analyses. Emphasis will be on concept learning and case
analysis.
Conduct
Students are required to come prepared to the defined sessions as outlined in the course structure,
failing which they may not be allowed to attend the class. They may be asked to give individual or
group presentation of cases. Coming late to class is not permitted. Assignments, class tests, surprise
tests and quizzes will be conducted. Assignments should be submitted on time, late submission
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will not be considered for evaluation at any cost. When there is a case presentation, students
should come prepared for case discussions and they are expected to participate actively. A one-page
analysis should be submitted to the Instructor on the day of case discussion.
Evaluation Scheme (During the Term Assessment -DTA)
Equal weightage will be given for end term examination i.e. internal marks will be consolidated for
50 marks and end term examination will be conducted for 50 marks.
Assignments, Article Reviews, Mini Project, Quiz, Case Analysis & Presentation, MCQs are the
Criteria for DTA)
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Assignment 1 – Emerging trends in Indian Consumer buying Behaviour – 5 – 7 Pages
handwritten, last date 30-9-21 (5 Marks)
Article Review – 1 Only Submission - 15 Customer Behavior Trends Emerging This Year –
Forbes Article – March 15, 2021 (5 Marks)
Article Review – 2 - Marketing in the Age of Alexa – HBR Article Review (Submission &
Presentation) – 10 Marks
Article Review – Only Submission – Competing on Customer Journeys - HBR Article Review
- (5 Marks)
Case Study Analysis & Presentation –
 MTV: Connecting with Customer – (10 Marks)
 Haldiram’s: The No 1 Choice of Consumers – (10 Marks)
 Apple Watch – Managing Innovation Resistance – IVEY Case Study (10 Marks)
 Lighting the fire – Crafting & Delivering Broadly Inspiring Messages –
Persuasive Communication – HBS Case Study (15 Marks)
Mini Project – Prepare a questionnaire to understand the Perception / Attitude / Personality
of Consumers and submit a report (20 Marks)
Multiple Choice Questions - Test (10 marks)
End Term Examination – Total 50 Marks (Part A – (5x4=20), Part – B (3x10=30)
Prescribed Text Book
Consumer Behaviour, Leon Schiffman, Leslie Lazar Kanuk, S.Ramesh Kumar & Joseph Wisenblit,
Pearson Publication
Reference Books
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Consumer Behavior and Managerial Decision Making - Frank Kardes
Consumer Behavior: A Strategic Approach - Henry Assael
Shopper, Buyer & Consumer Behavior - Jay Lindquist, & M. Joseph Sirgy
Consumer Behaviour: A European Perspective -Michael R. Solomon, Gary Bamossy, Soren
Askegaard, and Margaret K.
5. The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour - Richard Bagozzi, Zynep Gurhan-Canli, and
Joseph R Priester
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Class Pedagogy
This course demands students’ preparation before class and active student involvement and
participation in class. Lectures will take up only about 60% of class time. The remaining 40% will
be spent analyzing and discussing Consumer Behaviour articles and experiential exercises in class
coupled with student-team case analysis discussions and presentations.
Course Structure:
Session
Students
Readings
1
Chapter 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter8
13
Chapter 9
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
20
Sessions
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
1 Session = 90 Mins
Contents
Consumer Behaviour- Introduction, Customer Value, Satisfaction, Trust, Retention
Consumer Research Process – Research Objectives, Primary Research, Secondary
Data, Data Analysis & Reporting Findings
Marketing in the Age of Alexa – HBR Article Review
Market Segmentation, Strategic Targeting – Criteria for Targeting,
Bases for Segmentation, Implementing Segmentation Strategy. MTV: Connecting
with Customer – Case Study
Consumer Motivation – Motivation as Psychological Force, Dynamics, Motivation
Theories
Personality & Consumer Behaviour – Theories of Personality, Personality &
Understanding Consumer Behaviour
Personality & Consumer Behaviour - Brand Personality, Self & Self Image, Virtual
Personality
Haldiram’s: The No 1 Choice of Consumers – Case Study
Consumer Perception – Dynamics, Elements of Perception, Consumer Imagery
Weekender With Damodar Mall | 'Indian Consumers Are Growing Curious' |
CNBC TV18 – YouTube Video
Consumer Learning - Elements, Behavioural Learning, Information Professing &
Cognitive Learning, Consumer Involvement & Passive Learning.
Consumer Attitude Formation and Change - Structural Models of Attitude, Attitude
Change, Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Attribution Theory.
Communication and Consumer Behavior – Source as message Initiator, Word-ofMouth environment, Receivers as Target Audience, Mass Media, Digital Media,
Designing Persuasive Messages
Lighting the fire – Crafting & Delivering Broadly Inspiring Messages – Persuasive
Communication – HBS Case Study
Family and Social Class – Roles of Family Members, Family decision making,
Consumption related roles, Family Life Cycle.
Influence of Culture on Consumer Behavior - Subcultures and Consumer Behavior –
Indian Core Values, Cultural Aspects of Emerging Markets.
Consumers & Diffusion of Innovations – Diffusion & Adoption Process, Consumer
Innovators
Apple Watch – Managing Innovation Resistance – IVEY Case Study
Consumer Decision-Making, - Model of Consumer Decision making, Challenges of
Customer Satisfaction, Loyalty & Migration
Marketing Ethics and Social Responsibility – Exploitive Targeting, Marketing to
Children, overaggressive Promotion, Precision Targeting, Cause Related Marketing
Total
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Other Consumer Behaviour related books:
1. Why we buy: The science of shopping - Paco Underhill
2. Call of the Mall: The geography of shopping - Paco Underhill
3. Buyology: Truth and lies about why we buy - Martin Lindstrom
4. How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market - Gerald Zaltman
5. Billions: Selling to the New Chinese Consumer - Tom Doctoroff
6. We are like that only - Rama Bijapurkar
7. Japanese Consumer Behaviour: From Worker Bees to Wary Shoppers - John McCreery
8. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions - Dan Ariely
Journal Reading –
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Journal of Consumer Behaviour (Wiley)
Journal of Marketing (American Marketing Association)
Journal of Consumer Psychology (Wiley)
Journal of Consumer Research (Oxford)
Journal of Consumer Affairs (Wiley)
Journal of Consumer Marketing (Emerald Publishing)
International Journal of Consumer Studies (Wiley)
Blogs & Portals
www.saiganeshhosur.blogspot.com
http://www.buyerbehaviour.org/
https://www.intelligencenode.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCl9FBiiToA (Reflection Notes to be written & submitted)
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