24710 Buyer Behaviour

Faculty of Business: Marketing
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Postgraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 24734 Marketing Management OR 24746 Marketing: Concepts and Applications
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are also course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Handbook description

This subject provides an insight into buyer behaviour as the foundation for marketing strategy. It examines individual, social and environmental determinants of buyer behaviour within an overall conceptual framework that includes information processing, learning, motivation, attitudes, personality, lifestyle, and social and cultural group influences.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

Provide a theoretical basis for understanding the field of buyer behaviour that incorporates research findings from the disciplines of psychology, anthropology, sociology, communications and economics.
Understand marketing strategy as it exists within a broad social framework that includes issues of ethics, social policy and regulations, and consumerism.
Understand buyer behaviour is not a constant but is constantly changing. It impinges on the marketing mix in critical ways that must be considered in order for marketing to be maximally effective.
Understand buyer behaviour as an academic discipline i.e. a domain of study that facilitates greater knowledge about the world and as a basis for the practice of marketing.
Gather, interpret and evaluate data in order to gain insight into and understanding of buyer behaviour.

Contribution to graduate profile

Buyer behaviour provides a basic foundation for all other units in the Marketing Major i.e. Market research, International Marketing, Service Marketing, Business to Business Marketing, Advertising Management and Marketing Strategy. This is because all good marketing activities can be associated with an implicit or explicit understanding of the customer.

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject will be taught via weekly lectures and workshops. These classes will be supplemented with both printed and electronic learning materials and resources. The UTS web-based communication tool (Blackboard Course Information) will be used to share information and encourage interaction between staff and students.

Students will be expected to work both in groups and as individuals on case studies and other tasks. These will be the basis for in class presentations and discussion. The emphasis is on interaction and all class members have the opportunity to participate.

Content

Introduction to Buyer Behaviour
Situational Influence, the Decision Making Process
Reference Group and Family Influence
Culture
Social Trends
Social Class and Diffusion
Personality and Self Concept
Learning and Memory
Motivation, Emotion
Attitude Formation and Change
Researching the Consumer
Applications of Consumer Behaviour.

Assessment

Group Presentation (Group)	15%
The presentations will occur during the lectures and are a group effort beginning in Week 3. In each lecture, there will be a group advertising collage presentation on various topics designed to show application of the theories covered in lectures. This assessment will test objectives 1, 2 and 3.
Major Assignment (Individual)	25%
The assignment is to be undertaken individually. It should be 2000 words excluding appendices and references (marks will be deducted for excessive length). A 250-word (maximum) description of the topic you have chosen is to be given to your lecturer for approval in your lecture during Week 4. This assessment will test objectives 1-5.
Final Exam (Individual)	60%
This is a 3-hour, essay style exam and will be held during the formal exam period. It consists of a compulsory case study which will be handed out in Week 12 and two additional questions chosen from a possible four questions. This assessment will test objectives 1-5.

Recommended text(s)

Widing, R., Sheth, J., Pulendran, S., Mittal, B., Newman, B. (2003), Customer Behaviour, Thomson, Victoria.

Buyer Behaviour 24710, Course Readings 2003, School of Marketing, Faculty of Business.

Indicative references

Chisnall, P. M., (1985), Marketing: A Behavioural Analysis, McGraw Hill Marketing Series, London.

Engel, J. F., Blackwell, R. D., Minard, P. W. (1995) Consumer Behaviour, The Dryden Press, 8th edition.

Mackay, H., (1993) Reinventing Australia. Angus and Robertson (Harper)

Mackay, H., (1997) Generations: Baby boomers, their parents and their children. Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney.

Neal, C., Pascale, Q., Hawkins D., (1999) Consumer Behaviour: Implications for Marketing Strategy, 2nd Australasian Edition, McGraw-Hill, Sydney.

Poulos, M., (2001) Buyer Behaviour: Implications for Marketing, Pearson Education Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney.

Schiffman, Bednall, Cowley, O'Cass, Watson and Kanuk, (2001) Consumer Behaviour, second edition, Prentice Hall.

Whitwell, G., (1989) Making the Market, McPhee Gribble Publishers, Melbourne.