Consumer Behavior

Program : MBA Class of : 2009

Credit : 3 Sessions : 33
Course Code : SL MM 602
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 AUTHOR / PUBLICATION

Consumer Behavior ICMR
Consumer Behavior, 5e Leon G Schiffman and Leslie Lazar Kanuk, Prentice-
Hall, India
Consumer Behavior Hawkins, Best & Coney, McGraw Hill
Consumer Behavior Blackwell, Miniard & Engel, Thomson
Consumer Behavior Solomon, Prentice Hall
Consumer Behavior: Concepts & David Loudon, Albert Della Bitta, Tata McGraw Hill
Applications

Detailed Syllabus
Introduction to Consumer Behavior: Consumer Behavior: Aspects of
Definition, Role of Consumer Behavior in Personality & Impact on Consumer
Marketing, Distinction among consumer, Behavior. Personality Theories –
customer, buyer, user and payer. Freudian, Neo-Freudian and Trait
Framework of Consumer Behavior – Theories, Consumer Personality & Brand
Internal Influences, External Influences, Personality, Self Concept – Types &
Self-Concept & Life Style and Decision Applications
Process. Interdisciplinary subject
Consumer Needs & Motivation: Needs
encompassing concepts from psychology,
& Wants, Latent & Manifest Motives in a
sociology, anthropology, micro-
Purchase Situation, Maslow’s Needs &
economics and organizational (buying)
Consumer Behavior, Trio of Needs
behavior. Applications of Consumer
Theory, Motivation Theories - Optimum
Behavior.
Stimulation, Hedonic Experiences,
Consumerism & Consumer Behavior in maintaining behavioral freedom, avoiding
the Contemporary Environment: risk, attributing causality. Motivational
Consumer movement & consumer rights. Conflict, Motivational Research.
Concerns of consumers – government
regulations & role of non-government Consumer Perception: Perception
organizations in addressing the same. Process & Involvement, Sensation &
Changing face of consumer behavior Sensory Thresholds, Sensory Overload &
under the new scenario of globalization, Selective Perception, Use of Gestalt
technological changes, new retailing Principles in Marketing Communications,
environment, etc. Common Perceptions of Colours,
Interpretation – Semiotics. Perceived
CONSUMERS AS INDIVIDUALS Risk. Perceptual Positioning & Perceptual
Mapping.
Personality and Self Concept in
Consumer Attitude Formation & decision making & involvement.
Change: Attitude functions. Tri- Information search pattern & marketing
component attitude model, hierarchies of strategy. Categories of decision
attitude components. Multi-attribute alternatives. Hierarchy of effects. Types
attitude models. Attitude measurement. of choice models – multi-attribute,
Changing consumer attitudes. additive difference, conjunctive,
disjunctive, lexicographic & elimination
Consumer Learning: Applications of
by aspects. Modeling consumer decision
behavioral learning theories (classical
making – Howard-Sheth model, Nicosia
conditioning & operant conditioning) and
model and Engel-Blackwell-Miniard
cognitive learning theories (iconic rote,
model.
vicarious/modeling and
reasoning/analogy) to consumer behavior. Consumer in the Market Place: Factors
influencing consumer outlet choice.
Shopping orientation & shopping styles.
CONSUMERS IN THE SOCIAL Types of purchases. In-store influences on
CONTEXT purchase. Consumer responses to
Reference Groups & Opinion marketing communications. Different
Leadership: Consumer socialization & forms of advertising appeals & consumer
consumption community. Types of behavior.
reference groups, their nature of power & Post-Purchase Behavior:
influence. Effect of reference groups on Satisfaction/dissatisfaction – loyalty/non-
product & brand purchase. Opinion use or complaint behavior. Measuring
leaders – their role & types. Identifying satisfaction, handling complaints,
opinion leaders and market mavens. achieving customer loyalty. Post-purchase
Family, Gender & Age Influences: dissonance – causes and approaches to
Family decision making roles, conflicts reducing the same. Disposal alternatives.
and their resolution. Role of gender and Dark Side of Consumer Behavior:
age in family decision making. Family Concerns of marketers and dark side of
life cycle and consumer decisions. consumer behavior (addictions, devious
Social Class & Consumer Behavior: behaviors).
Social class – its components & impact Organizational Consumer Behavior:
on consumer behavior. Measuring social Organizational buying roles, buying
class, India’s socio-economic situations & buying processes. Influences
classification. Influence of social mobility on organizational buying behavior.
on consumer behavior. Targeting the poor
& the rich, status symbols & conspicuous
consumption. Cases:
Cultural Influences on Consumer Faculty will be handling eight or more cases
Behavior: Characteristics of culture, • Online Matrimony Services in India
application of cultural learning & rituals
in consumer behavior. Types of sub- • Maruti - Valuing the Indian Used Car
cultures in the Indian context. Cross- Market
cultural influences. Cultural lessons in • CASAS BAHIA : Marketing to the
international marketing. Poor
CONSUMER DECISION MAKING & • Tesco - The Customer Relationship
BEHAVIOR Management Champion
• Coca Cola India's Thirst for the
Diffusion of Innovation: Types and Rural Market
degrees of innovation & behavioral
• Pepsodent - Charting Growth in
demands. Factors affecting
Indian Oral Care Market through
adoption/diffusion & the decision making
Segmentation
process. Adopter categories. Factors
affecting speed of diffusion. Marketing • MTV : Connecting with the
strategies for enhanced diffusion. Customer
• ITC's Foray into Convenience Food
Consumer Decision Making: Types of
 Market Personality and Self Concept 2
• Fast Food Fables in Consumer Behavior
• Guatemala - Evolving 'The Soul of Consumer Needs & 3
the Earth' Motivation
• The Price War in Gujarat Newspaper
Consumer Perception 2
Industry
• HSBC - Local Bank to the World Consumer Attitude Formation 2
& Change
• Kellogg’s Indian Experience
• Archies – The Way Indians Greet Consumer Learning 2
• Lego Toys - The Story of Playful Reference Groups & Opinion 2
Learning Leadership
• Market Expansion Strategies Of Family, Gender & Age 2
Maruti Udyog Influences
• Reebok's Changing Gameplan
Social Class & Consumer 2
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts -
Behavior
America's Hottest Brand
• Detroit - Getting Ready for an Image Cultural Influences on 2
Makeover Consumer Behavior
• Shoppers' Stop Consumer Loyalty Diffusion of Innovation 2
Program
Consumer Decision Making 3
• The Teleshopping Business in India
• Tupperware - Influencing Opinions Consumer in the Market Place 2
through Word-of-Mouth Post-Purchase Behavior 2
• Shopping Malls - A New Shopping
Dark Side of Consumer 1
Experience
Behavior
• Adbusters Media Foundation -The
Global Network of Social Activists Organizational Consumer 1
• Kohl's Tie-Up with Estée Lauder - Behavior
Influencing Customer Perceptions Total 33
• Pet Services in India - From Bow-
Bow 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 1
Behavior
Consumerism & Consumer 2
Behavior in the Contemporary
Environment