Consumer Behavior
Program
: MBA
Class of : 2009
Credit
: 3
Course Code : SL MM 602
Sessions : 33
Objective
To understand the various factors influencing behavior of consumers – as individuals and as
members of a group/society, and also the impact of consumerism in the contemporary
environment.
To understand the behavior of consumers – decision making, post-purchase behavior,
behavior in a shopping environment, etc. To understand the behavior of organizations as
consumers.
REFERENCE BOOKS
Consumer Behavior
Consumer Behavior, 5e
AUTHOR / PUBLICATION
ICMR
Leon G Schiffman and Leslie Lazar Kanuk, PrenticeHall, India
Hawkins, Best & Coney, McGraw Hill
Blackwell, Miniard & Engel, Thomson
Solomon, Prentice Hall
David Loudon, Albert Della Bitta, Tata McGraw Hill
Consumer Behavior
Consumer Behavior
Consumer Behavior
Consumer Behavior: Concepts &
Applications
Detailed Syllabus
Introduction to Consumer Behavior:
Definition, Role of Consumer Behavior in
Marketing, Distinction among consumer,
customer, buyer, user and payer.
Framework of Consumer Behavior –
Internal Influences, External Influences,
Self-Concept & Life Style and Decision
Process.
Interdisciplinary
subject
encompassing concepts from psychology,
sociology,
anthropology,
microeconomics and organizational (buying)
behavior. Applications of Consumer
Behavior.
Consumerism & Consumer Behavior
in the Contemporary Environment:
Consumer movement & consumer rights.
Concerns of consumers – government
regulations & role of non-government
organizations in addressing the same.
Changing face of consumer behavior
under the new scenario of globalization,
technological changes, new retailing
environment, etc.
CONSUMERS AS INDIVIDUALS
Personality
and
Self
Concept
in
Consumer Behavior: Aspects of
Personality & Impact on Consumer
Behavior. Personality Theories
–
Freudian, Neo-Freudian and Trait
Theories, Consumer Personality & Brand
Personality, Self Concept – Types &
Applications
Consumer Needs & Motivation: Needs
& Wants, Latent & Manifest Motives in a
Purchase Situation, Maslow’s Needs &
Consumer Behavior, Trio of Needs
Theory, Motivation Theories - Optimum
Stimulation, Hedonic Experiences,
maintaining behavioral freedom, avoiding
risk, attributing causality. Motivational
Conflict, Motivational Research.
Consumer Perception: Perception
Process & Involvement, Sensation &
Sensory Thresholds, Sensory Overload &
Selective Perception, Use of Gestalt
Principles in Marketing Communications,
Common Perceptions of Colours,
Interpretation – Semiotics. Perceived
Risk. Perceptual Positioning & Perceptual
Mapping.
Consumer Attitude Formation &
Change:
Attitude functions. Tricomponent attitude model, hierarchies of
attitude components. Multi-attribute
attitude models. Attitude measurement.
Changing consumer attitudes.
Consumer Learning: Applications of
behavioral learning theories (classical
conditioning & operant conditioning) and
cognitive learning theories (iconic rote,
vicarious/modeling
and
reasoning/analogy) to consumer behavior.
CONSUMERS
CONTEXT
IN
THE
SOCIAL
Reference
Groups
&
Opinion
Leadership: Consumer socialization &
consumption community. Types of
reference groups, their nature of power &
influence. Effect of reference groups on
product & brand purchase. Opinion
leaders – their role & types. Identifying
opinion leaders and market mavens.
Family, Gender & Age Influences:
Family decision making roles, conflicts
and their resolution. Role of gender and
age in family decision making. Family
life cycle and consumer decisions.
Social Class & Consumer Behavior:
Social class – its components & impact
on consumer behavior. Measuring social
class,
India’s
socio-economic
classification. Influence of social mobility
on consumer behavior. Targeting the poor
& the rich, status symbols & conspicuous
consumption.
Cultural Influences on Consumer
Behavior: Characteristics of culture,
application of cultural learning & rituals
in consumer behavior. Types of subcultures in the Indian context. Crosscultural influences. Cultural lessons in
international marketing.
decision
making &
involvement.
Information search pattern & marketing
strategy.
Categories
of
decision
alternatives. Hierarchy of effects. Types
of choice models – multi-attribute,
additive
difference,
conjunctive,
disjunctive, lexicographic & elimination
by aspects. Modeling consumer decision
making – Howard-Sheth model, Nicosia
model and Engel-Blackwell-Miniard
model.
Consumer in the Market Place: Factors
influencing consumer outlet choice.
Shopping orientation & shopping styles.
Types of purchases. In-store influences
on purchase. Consumer responses to
marketing communications. Different
forms of advertising appeals & consumer
behavior.
Post-Purchase Behavior:
Satisfaction/dissatisfaction – loyalty/nonuse or complaint behavior. Measuring
satisfaction, handling complaints,
achieving customer loyalty. Postpurchase dissonance – causes and
approaches to reducing the same.
Disposal alternatives.
Dark Side of Consumer Behavior:
Concerns of marketers and dark side of
consumer behavior (addictions, devious
behaviors).
Organizational Consumer Behavior:
Organizational buying roles, buying
situations & buying processes. Influences
on organizational buying behavior.
Cases:
Faculty will be handling eight or more cases

Online Matrimony Services in India

Maruti - Valuing the Indian Used
Car Market

CONSUMER DECISION MAKING &
BEHAVIOR
CASAS BAHIA : Marketing to the
Poor

Tesco - The Customer Relationship
Management Champion
Diffusion of Innovation: Types and
degrees of innovation & behavioral
demands.
Factors
affecting
adoption/diffusion & the decision making
process. Adopter categories. Factors
affecting speed of diffusion. Marketing
strategies for enhanced diffusion.

Coca Cola India's Thirst for the
Rural Market

Pepsodent - Charting Growth in
Indian Oral Care Market through
Segmentation

MTV :
Customer
Consumer Decision Making: Types of

ITC's Foray into Convenience Food
Connecting
with
the
Market
Consumer Needs &
Motivation
3

Fast Food Fables

Guatemala - Evolving 'The Soul of
the Earth'
Consumer Perception
2

The Price War in Gujarat Newspaper
Industry
Consumer Attitude Formation
& Change
2

HSBC - Local Bank to the World
Consumer Learning
2

Kellogg’s Indian Experience

Archies – The Way Indians Greet
Reference Groups & Opinion
Leadership
2

Lego Toys - The Story of Playful
Learning
2

Market Expansion Strategies Of
Maruti Udyog
Family, Gender & Age
Influences
Social Class & Consumer
Behavior
2
Cultural Influences on
Consumer Behavior
2

Reebok's Changing Gameplan

Krispy
Kreme
Doughnuts
America's Hottest Brand

Detroit - Getting Ready for an Image
Makeover
Diffusion of Innovation
2

Shoppers' Stop Consumer Loyalty
Program
Consumer Decision Making
3

Consumer in the Market Place
2
The Teleshopping Business in India

Tupperware - Influencing Opinions
through Word-of-Mouth
Post-Purchase Behavior
2
Shopping Malls - A New Shopping
Experience
Dark Side of Consumer
Behavior
1


Adbusters Media Foundation -The
Global Network of Social Activists
Organizational Consumer
Behavior
1

Kohl's Tie-Up with Estée Lauder Influencing Customer Perceptions
Total
33

Pet Services in India - From BowBow to Wow-Wow

Shared Values - A Campaign Gone
Hollow?

Haldiram's - The No:1 Choice of
Consumers

Fairtrade - Influencing Purchase
Decisions

Dove - Campaigning for Real Beauty
-
(Source: Case Studies in Consumer
Behavior)
Suggested Schedule of Sessions
Topic
No.of
Sessions
Introduction to Consumer
Behavior
1
Consumerism & Consumer
Behavior in the Contemporary
Environment
2
Personality and Self Concept
in Consumer Behavior
2