Department of Business Administration

Course Title: Consumer Behavior

Course Code: MKT 321
Pre-requisite Courses: Principles of Marketing/ Psychology
Credit Hours: Three (3)
Semester: Seven (7)
Degree: BBA Program

Course Description:
This course aims at answering the following questions that arise in the minds of students
going for higher learning in the field of Marketing:

 What are the significant differences between different consumers?

 What different roles consumers play in the process of purchase.
 How can consumers be stimulated?
 How does culture affect consumer behavior?
 How different social sciences combine in the study of consumer behavior?
 How different behavioral and cognitive theories are applied in the study of
consumer behavior?

Course Objectives:
This course has been designed keeping the following objectives in mind:

1. To develop an understanding of the consumer and the internal and external factors
that makes each consumption situation unique.
2. To develop an understanding of consumer behavior research in modern marketing.
3. To develop an understanding of the dynamic and evolving nature of consumer
behavior.
4. Appreciate the importance of consumer-oriented strategies to the organizations
and to enable the development of appropriate marketing strategies.

Learning Outcomes (LOs)

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LO Categories After completing this course a student will be able: IU Graduate Qualities
Knowledge LOs LO1: To understand the consumer and consumer behavior. ♦ Critical thinking
LO2: to Identify the factors which influence consumer
behavior
LO3: To understand the importance of consumer behavior
research in modern marketing.

Comprehension LOs LO4: to recognize the importance of consumer behavior ♦ Decision making skills
research in modern marketing ♦ Critical thinking skills
LO5: to recognize the dynamic and evolving nature of ♦ problem solving skills
consumer behavior in developing marketing campaigns.

Application LOs LO6: to Demonstrate how knowledge of consumer ♦ Team work

behavior can be applied in developing marketing campaigns ♦ Problem Solving
LO7: to develop motivational strategies to induce ♦ Communication Skills
consumers towards brand loyalty. ♦ Leadership Skills
LO8: to describe the role of psychographic segmentation in
developing marketing strategies
Analysis LOs LO9: to analyze information and existing knowledge from ♦ Intercultural and ethical
a number of sources and experiences competency skills
♦ Technical skills
♦ Analytical skills
Synthesis LOs LO10: to synthesize information and existing knowledge ♦ Communication and
from a number of sources and experiences Interpersonal skills

Evaluation LOs LO11: to evaluate the information and knowledge obtained ♦ Managerial skills
from a number of sources and experiences

Teaching Methodology:

Teaching at Iqra University is learner oriented. Students are involved in lectures, assigned
readings, reference readings, exercises, case studies, presentations, and class discussions.
In the same way, grading tends to focus on the students’ overall performance and
participation in the classroom activities.

Code of Conduct:
Students have to follow the rules stated below to avoid a failing grade in the course:
 Understand and follow the University policy regarding attendance.
 Arrive in and leave the classroom strictly on time. Late arrival will be marked as
absence. If you leave the classroom in the middle of a session even for a short while,
you will be marked absent.
 Keep your cell phone off during the class.
 Do the assigned readings for a class before coming to the class.

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  Maintain a disciplined, cordial, and respectful attitude towards the teacher and your
fellow students.
 Submit your homework on the due date before the class begins.
 Do not plagiarize from books, journals, or the internet.
 Do not cheat (make someone else do your work or present work for some other
course as work for this course).
 The teacher’s decisions about marks and grade will be final.

Course Contents

Week Topics to be covered Learning IU Graduate Methods of

Qualities
Outcomes Assessment
1. An Introduction to consumer behavior ♦ Critical thinking
 Definition of CB
 Environmental analysis
 Research perspectives on consumer behavior LO1
 Exchange processes LO3
 Segmentation
 Organizing model of consumer behavior

2. Information processing-I ♦ Critical thinking

 Factors influencing information processing ♦ Technical skills
 Consumer Information Processing Model LO2
 Factors Influencing Consumer Involvement LO4
 Types of Consumer Involvement

3. Information processing- I & II ♦ Critical thinking Announcement

 Impact of Vision, Color, Taste & Touch ♦ Communication
of
 Subliminal Perception Skills
LO2 ♦ problem solving
 Marketing Implications of JND & Weber’s Project
Law LO6 skills
 The Butterfly Curve

4. Information processing- II ♦ Critical thinking

 Types of Attention ♦ Communication
LO2 Quiz 1
 Capturing Consumer Attention Skills
 Perceptual Organization LO6 ♦ problem solving
 Stimulus Organization & Semeiotics skills

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5. Memory & Cognitive Learning ♦ Technical skills Project Topics
• Multiple store model of memory LO7 ♦ Critical thinking Finalization
• Involvement & short-term capacity
LO9 ♦ Analytical skills
• Recognition & Recall
• Picture vs Word Memory LO10
• Memory Control Process

6. Memory & Cognitive Learning ♦ Critical thinking

• Encoding Process
LO9 ♦ Technical skills
• Retrieval & Response Generation
• Types of knowledge ♦ Analytical skills
• Gestalt Theory of Cognitive Knowledge

7. Behavioral Learning ♦ Decision making Quiz 2

 Behavioral Learning: Classical & Operant skills
LO5 ♦ Problem solving
Conditioning
 Positive vs Negative Reinforcement LO6 skills
 Strategic Applications of Conditioning ♦ Managerial
LO11 skills
Theories
 Observational & Social Learning

Midterm Exam
8. Motivation ♦ Critical thinking
 Concept of Motivation ♦ Leadership skills
 Structure of emotions ♦ Managerial
 Maslow’s Need Hierarchy theory LO2
 Murray’s List of Human Needs LO7
Skills
 Opponent-process theory
 Optimum-stimulation level theory LO9
 Perceived risk

9. Personality & Psychographics ♦ Decision

 Personality making skills
 Psychographics ♦ Critical thinking
LO5
 Trait theory skills
 Self-concept LO8 ♦ Problem
 Product images and self-images Solving
 Consumer lifestyle

10. Beliefs & Attitude Decision making

LO2
 Types of Attitude skills
Quiz 3
LO5 ♦ Critical thinking
skills

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  Relationship between attitude, behavior, LO11 ♦ Managerial
cognition, affect and object Skills
 Consumer beliefs & marketing implications
 Tri-component attitude model
 Multi-attribute attitude model
 Behavior-Intention model
11. Consumer Decision Making Process ♦ Communication
 Model of Consumer Decision Making and Interpersonal
LO7
 Generic Decision Making Model skills
 Three Perspective on Decision Making LO9 ♦ Analytical skills
 Marketing strategies based on information ♦ Decision
LO10
search making skills

12. Consumer Decision Making Process ♦ Communication

 Framing and Prospect Theory and Interpersonal
 The Consumer Choice Process LO7 skills
 Non-compensatory Models ♦ Managerial
LO9
 Experiential Choice Process Skills
LO10 ♦ Decision
making skills

13. Family Decision Making ♦ Intercultural and

 Family Decision Making ethical
 The Family Life Cycle competency skills
LO6 ♦ Decision
 Family Decision Making Conflicts
 Gender Roles & Decision Making LO11 making skills
 Consumer Socialization

14. Presentations LO9 ♦ Writing skills

♦ Communication
LO10 and Interpersonal project
skills
♦ Team work Presentation
15. Presentations ♦ Writing skills
LO7 ♦ Communication
LO11 and Interpersonal project
LO13 skills
♦ Team work Presentation
FINAL EXAMINATION

Rescheduling of Class:

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The teachers at Iqra University are very particular about taking their classes, but in case of
an emergency, an alternate teacher may conduct the class. Students are informed through
SMS in case of rescheduling of a class.

Grading Policy:

‘A’ Grade: 88 and above

‘B+’ Grade: 81-87
‘B’ Grade: 74-80
‘C+’ Grade: 67-73
‘C’ Grade: 60-66
‘F’ Grade: Below 60

Marks Distribution of 100%:

Quizzes ______10_____
Project/Project presentations: ______25_____
Mid-term ______25_____
Final Exam ______40_____
Total _______100____
Recommended Reading(s):

1. Consumer Behavior by John C. Mowen and Michael Minor, 5th Edition.

2. In addition the teacher may prescribe any additional reading material.

Reference Books:

1. Hawkins, Mothersbaugh and Best, Consumer Behavior, 10th Edition

2. Shiffman and Kanuk, Consumer Behavior, 10th Edition

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