MM208: Consumer Behaviour

Module code: MM208

Module provider: Marketing and Reputation; Henley Business School

Credits: 20

Level: 5

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Bahram Mahmoodi Kahriz, email: bahram.mahmoodikahriz@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 19 November 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

To provide an understanding into the psychological and sociological factors that influence consumer behaviour before, during and after purchase and consumption in contemporary consumer markets. To discuss the effective engagement and handling of business customers. The purpose of the module is to explore and apply consumer and business customer buying behaviour models in a contemporary context.

This module is delivered at University of Reading and University of Reading Malaysia (UORM).

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Recognise and analyse the key aspects and dimensions of understanding customers as individuals in the terms of motivation, perception, learning attitude formation and change their personalities.
2. Recognise and analyse the key aspects and dimensions of understanding customers with their cultural and social settings by considering the influences of reference groups and families, culture and its erosion.
3. Evaluate the underlying theories and apply concepts of the consumer decision making process in both consumer and business-to business markets in both high and low involvement purchasing.
4. Evaluate psychographic and behavioural approaches to segmentation.
5. Define and create strategic marketing tools, pricing, communication and promotion responses, which are pertinent to the customer and stage of purchase.

Effectively organise, plan, and work both collaboratively and individually in understanding and applying the principles of critical analysis. To communicate consumer analysis effectively through written reporting, appropriately applying buyer behaviour theory in practice in different market contexts.

Module content

Psychological Influences- Drive & motivation, perception, learning & attitudes, personality and self concept.

Sociological Influences- reference groups, family and culture

Behavioural and psychographic segmentation

Consumer and organisational buying behaviour and processes for products and services

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Understanding customers, whether in consumer or business-to-business is at the heart of the marketing discipline. This module uses contributing social sciences such as psychology, sociology and economics to understand the drivers to consumer behaviour.

Understanding consumer psychology is a key requirement for effective marketing management.  Marketing managers need to be able to identify and respond appropriately to different consumer audiences who vary in terms of their perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, personalities and behaviours. Changing lifestyles and values in society mean that the influence and impact of culture, family and friends play a key role in motivation and on consumer choice.

The processes of consumer decision making and activity, triggers of need, information search, evaluation of options, purchasing decisions, consumption of goods, and post-use evaluation, are vital to the marketer in understanding the application of marketing tools.  The wider possibilities for behavioural segmentation, satisfaction and loyalty in products and services are considered.

This module may be taught in a different Semester if you are studying at our campus in Malaysia.

For students studying at our campus in Malaysia: This module may be taught in a different semester and the breakdown of study hours may differ to those set out in the Study Hours table (please refer to the Module Handbook for the correct breakdown). In addition, you will be required to complete an additional 40 hours of independent study, taking the total number of study hours to 240 for this module. This is to comply with the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA).

Study hours

At least 25 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students will need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs