Consumer behaviour is how consumers interact with an organisation's products and services. Society, culture, identity and psychology are all pivotal in shaping these habits. But what insights can marketers gain from understanding our social and cultural landscapes?
You’ll dive deep into traditional marketing concepts where the customer is king. By exploring consumer culture theory, you’ll uncover the profound impact of societal norms and values on buying behaviour. Critical theory and cultural theory provide a lens to scrutinise the broader implications of marketing practices and consumerism, encouraging a reflective and analytical approach to understanding consumer behaviour.
You'll gain a multifaceted understanding of consumers, equipping you with the insights needed to devise more effective and ethically responsible marketing strategies. It isn't just about learning theories; it's about applying them to real world scenarios and preparing to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving marketplace.
Total contact hours: 24
Private study hours: 126
Total study hours: 150
Main assessment methods
Individual report (2000 words) (80%)
Group Vlog (Short for video blog or video log) (20%).
Reassessment methods
100% coursework through individual report
Szmigin, I.,, and Piacentini, M. (2018) Consumer behaviour. 2e Oxford University Press. (ISBN: 9780198786238)
Solomon, M. R, (2019) Consumer Behaviour: Buying, having and being. 13e London: Prentice Hall (0135225698)
Arnould, E. J., and Thompson, C. J. (Eds.). (2018). Consumer culture theory. Sage. (ISBN 9781526420725)
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
- Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the nature of consumer behaviour and organisational consumption behaviour.
- Explain and apply principles and theories from psychology, sociology and consumer cultural theory to consumer behaviour and organisational consumption behaviour (where appropriate).
- Show a critical awareness of ethical and social dimensions of consumer behaviour theories for business and wider society.
- Critically evaluate the implications of macro influences such as culture, social class and micro influences such as motivation, learning, perception and attitudes.
- Understand the main psychological and socially orientated perspectives on personality and self.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
- Communicate effectively to a variety of audiences and/or using a variety of methods
- Demonstrate in-depth problem solving and decisions making skills through the analysis of problems and identification of appropriate solutions
- Apply critical thinking skills, also when working with complex material and utilise resources effectively
- Scan and organise data, extract meaning from information and share knowledge with others to present a logical case/argument
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