Students
MKTG203 – Consumer Behaviour
2019 – S1 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Coordinator
Jana Bowden
Contact via email
4 Eastern Road, Room 650
Thursdays 1pm - 3pm
Oliver Manlutac
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
MKTG101
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
An important aspect of marketing is to understand the heart and mind of consumers. Understanding why consumers think, feel and act the way that they do assists businesses in making strategic, sustainable and ethical marketing decisions.
This unit develops students’ knowledge about how to understand, interpret and influence consumers’ behaviour. Students gain theoretical knowledge of the internal, psychological processes and external, environmental factors influencing consumer behaviour. Students learn about consumer needs and values, how consumers perceive products and brands, ways to measure attitudes and effect attitude change, how and why consumers decide to buy (or not buy), and the importance of culture and reference group influences. By the end of this unit, students have a much deeper and richer appreciation of how consumption not only affects our lives but also how our actions influence the way that we feel about ourselves and about one another.
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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:
- Identify and articulate a range of external and internal influences on consumer behaviour.
- Critically discuss, analyse and integrate consumer behaviour literature to create coherent and theoretically rigorous arguments relating to consumption.
- Apply consumer behaviour knowledge to develop creative solutions to consumption decisions and practices acknowledging the ethical implications to society.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual essay | 30% | No | Weeks 7 |
| Final Exam | 40% | No | Formal examination period |
| Individual submission (three) | 30% | No | Weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 |
Individual essay
Due: Weeks 7
Weighting: 30%
INDIVIDUAL ESSAY
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 30%
SUSTAINABLE & ETHICAL CONSUMPTION AND THE DIGITAL ERA
Task Description: This assessment targets development of students ethical and sustainable and ethical critical thinking skills and encourages students to understand the complex nature of consumption behaviour. It allows students to explore a critical perspective with regard to the academic literature on sustainable and ethical consumption; construct a sustained response to the topic; and to utilise and conform to the principles of academic rigour the production of an acceptable, formal response to the topic.
Format: Essay
Submission: via Turntin
Type of collaboration: individual
Length: 1500 words
Inherent task requirements: none
Late submissions: Please see assessment schedule 4
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and articulate a range of external and internal influences on consumer behaviour.
- Critically discuss, analyse and integrate consumer behaviour literature to create coherent and theoretically rigorous arguments relating to consumption.
- Apply consumer behaviour knowledge to develop creative solutions to consumption decisions and practices acknowledging the ethical implications to society.
Final Exam
Due: Formal examination period
Weighting: 40%
Task description: The final exam tests student knowledge of consumer behaviour attained during the semester. The final exam is comprehensive covering all materials in lectures (including lectures), tutorials (including both group and individual components and class discussions), textbook, required journal article readings and iLearn.
Type of collaboration: Individual
Submission: You are expected to present yourself for examination at the time and place designated in the University Examination timetable.
Format: The final exam is essay format. Closed book.
Length: 2 hours
Inherent task requirements: none
Late submissions: Please see assessment policy schedule 4
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and articulate a range of external and internal influences on consumer behaviour.
- Critically discuss, analyse and integrate consumer behaviour literature to create coherent and theoretically rigorous arguments relating to consumption.
- Apply consumer behaviour knowledge to develop creative solutions to consumption decisions and practices acknowledging the ethical implications to society.
Individual submission (three)
Due: Weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
Weighting: 30%
INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSION (three worth 10% each)
Due: Weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
Task Description: This assessment targets development of students critical thinking skills and problem solving skills and encourages students to understand the complex nature of consumption behaviour. It allows students to explore a critical perspective with regard to the academic literature on specific topics; construct a sustained response to the topic; and to utilise and conform to the principles of academic rigour the production of an acceptable, formal response to the topic.
Format: 1 typed page or a maximum of 500 words including referencing
Submission: Turnitin
Type of collaboration: individual
Inherent task requirements: none
Late submissions: Please refer to assessment policy schedule 4
Only three submissions will be due for submission to Turnitin in weeks 3, 4, 5, 6 or 8. The collection week is randomly determined and announced during the week in which it is due. Please note that the weekly schedule of lectures, readings and individual assessment topic activities are available on iLearn.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and articulate a range of external and internal influences on consumer behaviour.
Delivery and Resources
Lectures and Tutorials:
- This unit consists of 3 hours face-to-face teaching per week, one 2 hour lecture and one 1 hour tutorial
Required Reading: Textbook
One Required Textbook
Consumer Behaviour, 6th edition
Schiffman, St John's University Aron O'Cass, University of Tasmania Angela Paladino, University of Melbourne Jamie Carlson, University of Newcastle
ISBN-10: 144256153X ISBN-13: 9781442561533
*Please note the 5th edition is also acceptable however you will need to cross check your weekly reading content against the 6th edition.
Required Reading: Journal Articles
- Balderjahn, I., Peyer, M., Seegebarth, B., Wiedmann, K.P. and Weber, A., 2018. The many faces of sustainability-conscious consumers: A category-independent typology. Journal of Business Research, 91, pp.83-93.
- Olson, J. G., McFerran, B., Morales, A. C., & Dahl, D. W. (2016). Wealth and Welfare: Divergent Moral Reactions to Ethical Consumer Choices. Journal of Consumer Research, 42(6), 879-896.
- Reczek, R.W., Irwin, J.R., Zane, D.M. and Ehrich, K.R., 2017. That’s not how I remember it: Willfully ignorant memory for ethical product attribute information. Journal of Consumer Research, 45(1), pp.185-207.
- Sheth, Jagdish N., Nirmal K. Sethia, and Shanthi Srinivas. 2011. Mindful consumption: a customer-centric approach to sustainability. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 39,1, 21-39.
Other Resources are available on the MKTG203 iLearn website Technology Used and Required:
- Students are required to use power point, word processing and ilearn.
Unit Webpage:
- Course materials are available on the learning management system (iLearn)
- The web page for this unit can be found at: http://ilearn.mq.edu.au
- The timetable for this unit can be accessed from this portal: http://timetables.mq.edu.au
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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
- Identify and articulate a range of external and internal influences on consumer behaviour.
- Critically discuss, analyse and integrate consumer behaviour literature to create coherent and theoretically rigorous arguments relating to consumption.
- Apply consumer behaviour knowledge to develop creative solutions to consumption decisions and practices acknowledging the ethical implications to society.
Assessment tasks
- Individual essay
- Final Exam
- Individual submission (three)
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
- Identify and articulate a range of external and internal influences on consumer behaviour.
- Critically discuss, analyse and integrate consumer behaviour literature to create coherent and theoretically rigorous arguments relating to consumption.
- Apply consumer behaviour knowledge to develop creative solutions to consumption decisions and practices acknowledging the ethical implications to society.
Assessment tasks
- Individual essay
- Final Exam
- Individual submission (three)
Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Critically discuss, analyse and integrate consumer behaviour literature to create coherent and theoretically rigorous arguments relating to consumption.
- Apply consumer behaviour knowledge to develop creative solutions to consumption decisions and practices acknowledging the ethical implications to society.
Assessment tasks
- Individual essay
- Final Exam
Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Critically discuss, analyse and integrate consumer behaviour literature to create coherent and theoretically rigorous arguments relating to consumption.
- Apply consumer behaviour knowledge to develop creative solutions to consumption decisions and practices acknowledging the ethical implications to society.
Assessment tasks
- Individual essay
- Final Exam
Changes from Previous Offering
Change to required textbook
Changes to required readings
Change in assessments and weighting; individual assessments added, exam weight
Outline approved by discipline head
Global contexts & Sustainability
This unit draws on high quality international consumer behaviour research with an emphasis on sustainable value for business and society. Assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate their knowledge of sustainability processes such as lifecycles, stakeholder interpretation and systemic thinking.
Research & Practice
This unit uses research by Macquarie University researchers (Ling et al. 2015) and from external sources (see journal article reading list). This unit gives you practice in applying research findings in your assessment tasks. This unit gives you opportunities to conduct your own and to refine your interest in consumer behaviour.
Changes since First Published
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 25/02/2019 | Added consultation hours |
| 22/02/2019 | Exam length edited |
| 19/02/2019 | Update location |