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MKTG216 – Consumer Demographics

2017 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Associate Professor Fei Guo
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E4A627
Wednesday 3-5pm
Tutor
Ms Virginia Mandelburger
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TBA
TBA
Tutor
Sheruni De Alwis
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TBA
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Tutor
Nila Sharma
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Tutor
Sisi Yang
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TBA
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
24cp at 100 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit focuses on the application of a range of demographic skills and techniques in analysing and understanding consumer populations, market segmentation and demographically diverse consumer behaviour. It emphasises the importance of life cycle as an analytical framework that shapes the demand for goods and services at various stages of life of consumer population. Application of basic statistical techniques will be included. Some of the topics covered include: gendered consumer behaviour and cohort effects, market segmentation, demographic dynamics and market changes, ageing and substitution effects, life cycle and household consumption, and age and product substitution. Examples of Australian consumers and markets will be extensively discussed and international comparisons will also be considered.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • knowledge of applying demographic techniques in analysing consumer populations in Australia and other countries;
  • skills in evaluating data, information and literature and ability of analysing different segments of consumer populations;
  • competence in composing reports/essays on topics related to consumer demographics
  • ability to engage in teamwork in research projects and communicate results/findings through oral presentations.
  • ability to analyse important aspects of sustainability such as demographic changes and life cycles of household and ability to respond to sustainability issues.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assignments 20% No Week 5 and Week 9
Group Project 25% No Week 11
Final Exam 55% No Final exam period

Assignments

Due: Week 5 and Week 9
Weighting: 20%

The two assignments are designed to help students to progress towards the learning outcomes through practising what they have learned in the lectures and obtaining feedback which will further assist their learning.  The techniques and concepts introduced in the lectures are incorporated into the two assignments.  Assignment 1 will be returned to students in Week 6/7 to help identify issues and problems students may have so appropriate remedial assistance could be provided. The assignments are mainly designed to assess students’ capability in applying the demographic concepts and techniques in understanding consumer populations and the sustainability of environment and also assess students' critical, analytical and integrative thinking capability. 

Each assignment includes multiple question parts. The maximum marks available for each part will be indicated on the assignment sheets. Detailed instructions and assessment criteria will be given to students.

Submission: The two assignments are to be submitted in hardcopy in class at tutorial time AND some questions need to be submitted as softcopy to iLearn (Turnitin) on the same date as instructed. They will be returned to students at tutorials in the following week unless it is specified otherwise.  Students who fail to submit the assignments in both hardcopy and softcopy as instructed will be given zero for the assignments unless a satisfactory document (e.g. doctor’s certificate etc.) is presented. 

Extension: No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for disruption of studies is made and approved. No submission will be accepted after solutions have been posted.

Penalties: Penalties for plagiarism can be severe. It is expected that the two assignments are to be undertaken by individual students independently. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • knowledge of applying demographic techniques in analysing consumer populations in Australia and other countries;
  • skills in evaluating data, information and literature and ability of analysing different segments of consumer populations;
  • competence in composing reports/essays on topics related to consumer demographics
  • ability to engage in teamwork in research projects and communicate results/findings through oral presentations.
  • ability to analyse important aspects of sustainability such as demographic changes and life cycles of household and ability to respond to sustainability issues.

Group Project

Due: Week 11
Weighting: 25%

The Group Project is consisted of a group written report and a group oral presentation. They are designed to assess students’ ability of applying the concepts, skills, knowledge and techniques they have learned in class to the issues in the real world. Students will form a group of up to four and choose one topic (from a number of given topics) to write a group report of approximately 5,000 – 6,000 words and make a group oral presentation of 10 minutes based on the key results of the group report. Each member of the group is expected to contribute an individual written component to a group report (worth 50% of the group project) that will form the basis of the group oral presentation (worth 50% of the group project). The group report and the group presentation are designed to assess students’ problem solving and research capability, as well as effective communication capability. Students are also expected to demonstrate knowledge of aspects of the process of sustainability that are related to household consumption.  

Submission: Students are advised that the group reports must be submitted in both hardcopy in class to your tutors at the scheduled time AND a softcopy via the iLearn (Turnitin) on the same day. Group presentations will be made at tutorial times in Week 11 and Week 12.   

The group written report will be assessed by the structure and clarity of the report, application of demographic concepts and techniques, quality of data analysis, interpretation of the results, and effectiveness of presentation. 

Extension: No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission – 20% penalty). This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for disruption of studies is made and approved. 

Penalties: Penalties for plagiarism can be severe. The Turnitin (a plagiarism detection program) will be used to detect plagiarised materials in the group reports to ensure academic integrity and honesty.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • knowledge of applying demographic techniques in analysing consumer populations in Australia and other countries;
  • skills in evaluating data, information and literature and ability of analysing different segments of consumer populations;
  • competence in composing reports/essays on topics related to consumer demographics
  • ability to engage in teamwork in research projects and communicate results/findings through oral presentations.
  • ability to analyse important aspects of sustainability such as demographic changes and life cycles of household and ability to respond to sustainability issues.

Final Exam

Due: Final exam period
Weighting: 55%

A three-hour final exam, covering all materials in lectures and tutorials, will be held during the university final examination period. Questions in the final exam will test students’ ability of calculating and interpreting demographic measures in relation to consumer populations and providing answers to questions relevant to the topics covered in this unit. All questions are designed to assess students’ learning outcomes outlined in this document.

The final examination will incorporate multiple parts. The maximum marks available for each part will be indicated on the exam papers. 

Students will be permitted to use a small battery-operated calculator with scientific functions in the final examination. Students will not be allowed to bring dictionaries to the final examination. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • knowledge of applying demographic techniques in analysing consumer populations in Australia and other countries;
  • competence in composing reports/essays on topics related to consumer demographics

Delivery and Resources

Required and Recommended texts and/or materials

Prescribed Text Book:

Martins, Jo M., Farhat Yusuf and David A. Swanson (2012) Consumer Demographics and Behaviours, Springer, ISBN 978-94-007-1854-8.

Recommended Reference Book:

Martins, Jo M., Farhat Yusuf and David Swanson (2013) Methods of Demographic Analysis, Springer, ISBN 978-94-007-6783-6.

Both books are available as eBook in the Macquarie University library. Students are welcome to download the books.  Alternatively, hardcopies of the books are available for purchase in the Co-op bookshop. The weekly lectures are primarily based on the prescribed text book Consumer Demographics and Behaviour, but will also refer to materials from other sources. The recommended reference book Methods of Demographic Analysis is very useful for those students who have not taken DEM127/MKTG127 (Demographics Fundamentals) prior to taking MKTG216. The recommended reference book is a good source of information for all students on basic demographic measurements and concepts, which are highly relevant to this unit.  A weekly reading list will be available on learning management system (iLearn).  It is advisable that students download the lecture notes and reading materials from the iLearn or relevant databases prior to the lecture time.  Hardcopies of teaching and reading materials will NOT be provided in the class.  It is highly recommended that students compile notes of their own based on the materials covered in lectures and tutorials and from recommended readings.

 

Technology Used and Required

Students are required to use calculators with scientific functions and Excel program throughout the semester to compute demographic parameters and estimates.

An interactive online tool padlet will be used in lectures to facilitate student participation in class and interaction with teaching staff. 

Students will need to access the TableBuilder program via the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website to carry out demographic data analysis that aims at understanding Australian populations and consumers. Instruction on the application of a TableBuilder account to ABS will be provided to students. Group Project will be largely based on the data from Australian censuses generated using TableBuilder. It is essential that students follow the instruction to register a TableBuilder account with ABS as soon as possible. 

 

Unit web page

Course materials including audio-recorded lectures (iLecture) are available on the learning management system (iLearn) http://ilearn.mq.edu.au.

 

Learning and Teaching Activities

This unit is taught using lectures (two hours per week) and tutorials (one hour per week) which include a web-based data analysis research component.

Students are expected to prepare in advance of lectures and tutorials.  In addition to the time spent attending lectures and tutorials and completing assignments and group project, students are also expected to spend time preparing for lectures, writing notes and reading relevant literature.  In addition, students are expected to spend sufficient time preparing for the final examination.  

Exercises will be practised and examples will be given during the tutorial times. Students will have opportunities to engage group discussion and oral presentations. 

Students are advised that a poor record of attendance in lectures and tutorials may adversely affect the grade awarded. Satisfactory attendance in lectures and tutorials may be used to determine a marginal grade. Satisfactory attendance is 75% of lectures and tutorials for which attendance is taken. Students who miss a lecture or a tutorial due to unavoidable disruption are advised to submit a notification of Disruption to Studies. 

Timetables are available at https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2017/.  

Unit Schedule

                                                            MKTG216 Schedule of Lectures, Session 2, 2017

Week

Lecture Date

Lecture Topic

Tutorial

Assessment

Given

Assessment

Due

1

 

2 Aug

Introduction to Consumer Demographics: Basic Demographic Measurements and Concepts

No tutorial

 

 

2

 

9 Aug

Demographic Dimension of Markets and Consumers (Chapters 1 and 3)

Tutorial 1

Assign 1

 

 

3

16 Aug

Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour (Chapter 2)

Tutorial 2

 

 

4

23 Aug

Population Growth, Sustainability, and Change of Markets (Chapters 4 and 5)

Tutorial 3

 

 

5

30 Aug

Analysing Census Data using TableBuilder

Tutorial 4

Group Project

Assign 1

6

6 Sep

Life Cycle of Consumers (Chapter 6)

Tutorial 5

Assign 2

 

7

13 Sep

Market Segmentation and Income Distribution (Chapter 8)

Tutorial 6

 

 

 

 

MID-SEMESTER BREAK (18 Sep – 2 Oct)

 

 

 

8

4 Oct

Age, Preferences and Market Segmentation (Chapter 9)

Tutorial 7

 

 

9

11 Oct

Household Allocation (Chapter 7)

Tutorial 8

 

Assign 2

10

18 Oct

Gendered Preferences (Chapter 10)

Tutorial 9

 

 

11

25 Oct

Age and Product Substitution and Cohort Preferences (Chapter 11)

Tutorial 10

 

Group Report Group presentation (I)

12

 

1 Nov

Demographics of Major Emerging Markets: China and India

Tutorial 11

 

Group presentations (II)

13

8 Nov

Revision, Conclusion and Unit Evaluation

Tutorial 12

 

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • knowledge of applying demographic techniques in analysing consumer populations in Australia and other countries;
  • skills in evaluating data, information and literature and ability of analysing different segments of consumer populations;
  • ability to analyse important aspects of sustainability such as demographic changes and life cycles of household and ability to respond to sustainability issues.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignments
  • Group Project
  • Final Exam

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • knowledge of applying demographic techniques in analysing consumer populations in Australia and other countries;
  • skills in evaluating data, information and literature and ability of analysing different segments of consumer populations;
  • competence in composing reports/essays on topics related to consumer demographics
  • ability to engage in teamwork in research projects and communicate results/findings through oral presentations.
  • ability to analyse important aspects of sustainability such as demographic changes and life cycles of household and ability to respond to sustainability issues.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignments
  • Final Exam

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • knowledge of applying demographic techniques in analysing consumer populations in Australia and other countries;
  • skills in evaluating data, information and literature and ability of analysing different segments of consumer populations;
  • competence in composing reports/essays on topics related to consumer demographics
  • ability to engage in teamwork in research projects and communicate results/findings through oral presentations.

Assessment tasks

  • Assignments
  • Group Project

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • competence in composing reports/essays on topics related to consumer demographics
  • ability to engage in teamwork in research projects and communicate results/findings through oral presentations.

Assessment task

  • Group Project

Changes from Previous Offering

Assignment questions, Group Project topics and the Final Examination questions will be different from the previous year. An interactive tool padlet will be used to encourage class participation.

Global Contexts and Sustainability

Global contexts are discussed extensively in this unit, especially in the topics on demographic dimension of global markets and the major emerging markets in Asia.  It also addresses the major issues in sustainability from the perspectives of population growth, population ageing and the relationships between consumption and resource allocation.  

Research and Practice

Research and Practice

This unit provides students with opportunities to conduct research using data from the Australian 2006 and 2011 Census of Population and Housing on the topics that are relevant to this unit. Students will work in a group of up to four to carry out data analysis using TableBuilder, review a range of literature including peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, industry and government reports, and other sources, and write up a report on the key findings of the research. An oral presentation based on the key findings of the group report will be made in Week 11 and Week 12. The group report topics will be given prior to the mid-semester break.