BE555-7-SP-CO:
Consumer Behaviour
2023/24
Essex Business School
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
20
12 December 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
MA NP5312 Advertising, Marketing and the Media,
MA NP53MO Advertising, Marketing and the Media,
MSC N2E212 Management (Marketing),
MSC N2E224 Management (Marketing),
MSC N51012 Marketing,
MSC N51024 Marketing,
MSC N5G3JS Digital Marketing and Analytics
This module explores a variety of different theories and perspectives of consumer behaviour in relation to consumption in the marketplace, consumers as individuals, consumers as decision-makers and consumers as social beings.
The module will go beyond the act of buying to consider the entire consumption cycle, including pre-consumption and post-consumption attitudes and behaviours. This module explores how an understanding of buyer behaviour plays an essential role in marketing strategy formulation as we consider how marketers use and apply consumer behaviour theory. Given that consumption has an increasingly important role in our daily lives, students will also be encouraged to draw on their own experiences to aid understanding of the theoretical content. We will also discuss the wider implications of living in a consumer society.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide students with a thorough understanding of key theories and principles of consumer behaviour.
- To show how these concepts relate to the practice of marketing and what their implications are for businesses, individual consumers and society.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Identify and explain key consumer behaviour theories and their relationship to practice.
- Understand consumer behaviour as complex phenomena worthy of study for managerial purposes and in its own right.
- Acquire the knowledge necessary for further advanced study on marketing and consumer behaviour courses.
Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills)
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
- Think Critically.
- Approach and solve problems creatively.
- .eflect on your own practice in relation to marketing
The consumer is a key constituent for any business, and understanding consumer behaviour is central to successful marketing practice. As such, the very notion of customer-orientation is a central tenet of marketing as a discipline. Marketers are asked to champion and utilise consumer insights to their organisation's advantage while being able to anticipate and accommodate the diverse and changing demands of consumers in fast-paced and highly competitive markets.
A thorough understanding of consumer behaviour is thus a key requisite for any business, management and marketing professional. At the same time, we are all consumers and a better comprehension of what influences our own behaviour can be empowering, leading to better-informed individual choices.
This module will be delivered via:
Weekly sessions will encompass lectures as well as related group work, discussion and consultation.
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Shankar, A., Whittaker, J. and Fitchett, J.A. (2006) ‘Heaven knows I’m miserable now’,
Marketing Theory, 6(4), pp. 485–505. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593106069933.
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Holbrook, M.B. and Hirschman, E.C. (1982) ‘The Experiential Aspects of Consumption: Consumer Fantasies, Feelings, and Fun
Original text’,
Journal of Consumer Research, 9(2), pp. 132–140. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2489122.
-
‘Motorcycling edgework: A practice theory perspective.’ (2011)
Journal of Marketing Management, 27(13/14), pp. 1322–1340. Available at:
https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=67698754&site=ehost-live.
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McCracken, G. (1986) ‘Culture and Consumption: A Theoretical Account of the Structure and Movement of the Cultural Meaning of Consumer Goods
Original text’,
Journal of Consumer Research, 13(June), pp. 71–84. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2489287.
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Arnould, E.J. and Thompson, C.J. (2005) ‘Consumer Culture Theory (CCT): Twenty Years of Research’,
Journal of Consumer Research, 31(4), pp. 868–882. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/426626.
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Wattanasuwan, D.K. (no date) ‘The Self and Symbolic Consumption’,
Journal of American Academy of Business, 6(1), pp. 179–184. Available at:
http://www.bus.tu.ac.th/intranet/research/web/Kritsadarat_The%20Self%20and%20Sysbolic%20consumption.pdf.
-
Kravets, O.
et al. (eds) (2018b)
The SAGE handbook of consumer culture. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications Ltd. Available at:
https://sk-sagepub-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/reference/the-sage-handbook-of-consumer-culture.
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Schouten, J.W. and McAlexander, J.H. (1995) ‘Subcultures of Consumption: An Ethnography of the New Bikers
Original text’,
Journal of Consumer Research, 22(1), pp. 43–61. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2489699.
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Brown, S. (1993) ‘Postmodern Marketing?’,
European Journal of Marketing, 27(4), pp. 13–34. Available at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/03090569310038094/full/html.
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Kozinets, R.V. (2002) ‘Can Consumers Escape the Market? Emancipatory Illuminations from Burning Man’,
Journal of Consumer Research, 29(1), pp. 20–38. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1086/339919.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
1,500 Word Assignment |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
2,500 Word Assignment |
|
70% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Aneela Malik, email: a.malik@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Aneela Malik & Tony Sampson
ebspgtad@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Stephanie Anderson
Available via Moodle
Of 30 hours, 30 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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