AP3EC4-Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing
Module Provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites: AP1EE4 The Economic Environment and AP2EC2 Consumer Attitudes and Behaviour or AP1EE1 Economics 2 and AP1EE3 Economics 1 and AP2EC1 Consumer Behaviour
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4
Module Convenor: Dr Daniele Asioli
Email: d.asioli@reading.ac.uk
Module Co-convenor: Mr Nick Walker
Email: n.walker@reading.ac.uk
Type of module:
Summary module description:
This module is composed into two sections: Consumer Policy and Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing.
In the Consumer Policy section the student will learn how globalisation, consumerism, and law have influenced the growth of the regulatory state in the United Kingdom and identify the changes in the theory and practice of the regulation of consumer markets. Develop a sound theoretical framework, through market failure analysis and behavioural economics, to understand the rationales for consumer policy and techniques of regulation. Explore ways to empower and protect consumers when buying products and services in different sectors, e.g. in the case of unfair advertising, post-purchase quality problems, or health and safety issues. Learn through lectures, preparatory research, participation in class discussions, case studies, and groupwork on specific consumer ethics and policy issues.
In the Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing section there will be an approach to consumption as a complex economic, social, and cultural set of practices, connected with the spread of the market economy, the developing globalisation, and the succession of technological innovations. Gain in-depth understanding of the theories, practices, discourses, and institutions which characterise ‘consumer culture’. Through class discussions and workshops, examine and critically reflect on case studies that illustrate relevant contemporary issues in consumer behaviour and marketing (i.e. societal marketing, brand organisation, product availability, and communication) as well as key challenges in consumer behaviour and marketing, consumer culture, and global branding.
Aims:
Firstly, this module will provide students with a basic understanding of how the concepts of ethics, globalisation and consumerism has and continues to shape the new regulatory state in the UK. Students will develop a greater awareness of how changes in the theory and practice of regulation affect consumer markets. Market failure analysis and behavioural economics will provide students with a theoretical framework to better understand rationales for consumer policy and techniques of regulation. The module also confronts the issue of empowering and protecting consumers in different sectors, for example, in the case of unfair advertising or post-purchase quality problems.
Secondly, this module will also introduce students to contemporary issues in consumer behaviour and marketing. First, the theories, practices, discourses, and institutions which characterise ‘consumer culture’ will be introduced and discussed. Consumption is best considered as a complex economic, social, and cultural set of practices connected with the spread of the market economy, a developing globalisation, a succession of technological innovations, etc. Second, relevant contemporary issues in consumer behaviour and marketing such as ‘Societal marketing’ (i.e. Corporate Social Responsibility vs environment/sustainability/green marketing), ‘Brand organisation’ (i.e. brand architecture vs brand extension/growth), ‘Product availability’ (i.e. product assortment/choice vs limited editions/scarcity) and ‘Communication’ (i.e. celebrity advertising/endorsement vs negative word of mouth) will be described, discussed, and critically reflected with case studies. Finally, challenges in ‘consumer behaviour and marketing’, ‘consumer culture’ and ‘global branding’ will be introduced and discussed with case studies. The lectures will include discussion and workshops on contemporary issues in consumer behaviour and marketing.
Assessable learning outcomes:
LO1: Identify factors influencing frameworks and forms of regulation of consumer markets.
LO2: Explain rationales for consumer law and policy.
LO3: Articulate and criticise approaches to empowering and protecting consumers on a variety of contemporary issues with reference to specific sectors.
LO4: Summarise and critically reflect the current discussion on ‘consumer culture’.
LO5: Understand the relationships between consumers’ welfare, companies’ aims and society.
LO6: Analyse, discuss and apply contemporary issues in consumer behaviour such as ‘societal marketing’, ‘brand organisation’, ‘product availability’, and ‘communication’.
LO7: To discuss challenges in ‘consumer behaviour and marketing’, ‘consumer culture’ and ‘global branding’.
Additional outcomes:
To demonstrate debating skills and construct logical arguments based on a wide variety of consumer policy and other contemporary consumer Behaviour and marketing related issues.
Outline content:
- The development of new consumer regulation in the United Kingdom.
- Global and European influences.
- Rationales for consumer law and policy.
- Frameworks and forms of regulation of consumer markets.
- Ethics and regulation in different sectors and contexts.
- Introduction to Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing.
- Consumer Culture I: Development of Consumer Society or ConsumerCulture.
- Consumer Culture II: Images of the Consumer in Western Discourse.
- Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing I: Societal marketing.
- Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing II: Brand organisation.
- Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing III: Product availability.
- Contemporary Issues in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing IV: Communication.
- Challenges in Consumer Behaviour and Marketing.
- Challenges in Consumer Culture and Global Branding.
Global context:
Examination of global cultural and socioeconomic trends provide rich context for the evolution of consumer markets, consumer policy, and contemporary issues in consumer behaviour and marketing.
Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Teaching and learning will consist of a mixture of lectures, workshops, and interactive sessions which may include debates on topics such as, consumer ethics, policy issues, and contemporary issues in consumer behaviour and marketing.
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
| Lectures | 36 | ||
| Guided independent study: | |||
| Wider reading (independent) | 50 | ||
| Wider reading (directed) | 114 | ||
| Total hours by term | 0 | 200 | 0 |
| Total hours for module | 200 |
| Method | Percentage |
| Written exam | 50 |
| Written assignment including essay | 50 |
Summative assessment- Examinations:
Written Summer exam, answering two of a possible three or four questions.
Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:
Written essay (1500 words)
Formative assessment methods:
- MCQs test.
- In addition, during the module students will get formative feedback within the class based on in-class discussion and debate of the topics included in the module.
Penalties for late submission:
The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:
- where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
- where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.
Assessment requirements for a pass:
A mark of 40% overall.
Reassessment arrangements:
By submission of a new written essay.
Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
Last updated: 19 April 2023
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT'S CONTRACT.