BANASTHALI VIDYAPITH

FMS-WISDOM
Handout for the semester: 2022-2023

Class: MBA II Semester Course Title: Consumer Behavior

Course Teacher: Dr. Abhinav Nigam Estimated Contact Hrs: 60
Class Timings: B1 Wed-Thu, Sun-Mon 11:00-12:00 PM Teacher’s Email: abhinav.nigam@banasthali.in
B2 Wed-Thu, Sun-Mon 02:00-03:00 PM
Credits: 4, Max. Marks: 100 (CA: 40 + ESA: 60)

About the Course:

The development of consumers and markets has revolutionized the way marketers carry out their activities. The major objective of
this course is to familiarize the students with concepts, tools and approaches to consumer behavior.

Course Objective:
 To develop an understanding of concepts and application of consumer behavior.
 To develop an understanding of consumer as an individual and its marketing implications.
 To develop an understanding of consumer’s group dynamics including family, culture, groups, etc. and their marketing
implications.
 To develop an understanding of consumer’s decision-making process, its influencing factors and their marketing
implications.
 To develop an understanding of consumer behavior modelling and their marketing implications.
 To develop an understanding of organizational buying and its process.
 To develop an understanding of how better CRM can be conducted by studying consumer behavior.

Course Contents:

Section A
Consumer Behavior- Nature, scope and Application. Consumers and market segments, limitations of Demographics in predicting
consumer behaviour, lifestyle and psychographic segmentation.
Consumer as an Individual: consumer needs and motivation, theories of personality and their implications for consumer
behaviour, consumer perception and attitude. Theories of learning and communications.

Section B
Consumers in their social and cultural settings: Group dynamics, reference groups and consumer behaviour. Influence of family
and social class. Influence of cultural, sub cultural and cross-cultural aspects on consumer behaviour.
Consumer decision processes: Problem recognition, search and evaluation, purchasing processes and post purchase behaviour, High
involvement and low involvement consumer decisions.

Section C
Opinion leadership and its dynamics. Diffusion of innovation. Modelling consumer Behavior: Traditional models of consumer
behaviour, Howard and Sheth model, recent developments in modelling buyer behaviour, organizational buying behaviour:
influences, the buying situation, decision making process, concept of Customer Relationship Management and its Managerial
Application Consumer Behaviour in non profit sectors

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the course student will be able to:

 Understand consumer behavior in different  Apply the knowledge of CRM in its marketing
settings.
applications.
 Apply consumer behavior knowledge in
marketing and its applications.
Suggested Readings (SR):

1. Blackwell, R. D., Miniard, P. W., & Engel, J. F. (2003). Consumer Behavior (9th ed.). Australia: Thomson.
2. Schiffman, L., &Kanuk, L. (2007). Consumer Behavior (9 ed.). Pearson.
3. Loudon, D. L., &Bitta, A. J. (1993). Consumer Behavior: Concepts and Applications (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Suggested E-Learning Resources (ER):

1. Lee, H. J., Jeong Cho, H., Xu, W., &Fairhurst, A. (2010). The influence of consumer traits and demographics on
intention to use retail self-service checkouts. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 28(1), 46-58.
2. Pine, J. (2014). What consumers want. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/joseph_pine_on_what_consumers_want
3. University of Tasmania (2016). The psychology behind consumer
behavior. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJR2HwvrzCQ

Innovative approach:

Case-lets discussion, online videos and interactive materials on portals like YouTube, Swayam, Sahapedia, use of Google Classroom,
easy online submissions and interactions.

Course Plan:
No. of contact hours = 60

Section A
Learning Objectives:

1. To develop an understanding of concepts of consumer behavior

2. To develop and stimulate an understanding of concepts of consumer as an individual, his personality and
perception.
3. To develop an understanding of learning theories and communication.

Text Book
Lecture No Topics to be Covered Ref. Book

1-4 Consumer Behavior – Nature, scope and application SR 1,2

Consumers and Market Segments, Ways to Segment & Types of

5-8 segmentations with special focus on Lifestyle and psychographic
segmentation. SR 1,2

9-11 Limitations of Demographics in predicting consumer behavior SR 1,2

Consumer as an Individual: Consumer needs and wants, Types of needs,
11-13 Theories of consumer needs SR 1
Theories of personality, Personality traits and their Implications, Brand
14-16 personality, SR 1
Consumer Perception: Concept of Sensory system and Sensory
17-19 Thresholds. SR 1,2
Attitude: Constituents of consumer attitude,
20-22 Functions of consumer attitude and Theories of attitude SR 1,2
23-24 Learning Theories SR 1,2

25-26 Components of communication process and Theories of communication. SR 1,2

 Section B
Learning Objectives:

1. To develop an understanding of consumers in their social and cultural settings.

2. To develop an understanding of influence of family, groups and society on consumer behavior.
3. To develop an understanding of consumers decision process and its implications.

Text Book
Lecture No Topics to be Covered Ref. Book
Consumers in their social & cultural settings: Reference groups and
Group dynamics, Reference Group Functions and Types of Influence
27-28 Exerted, Social Influence and Social Power, Factors Affecting the
Influence of Reference Groups & Reference Group Applications in
SR 1,2
Marketing
Social Class: Type of Social Influence, Social
29-30 class categorization SR 1,2

Influence of family: Relevance of the Family for a marketer, Family role

31-34 structure and
buying behavior, The family Life Cycle Concept SR 1,2

Culture, Sub-culture and Cross Culture: Characteristics of culture,

35-38 Types of sub- culture and application of cross culture consumer
analysis SR 1,2

Consumer decision process: High involvement and Low involvement

39-41
consumer decisions. SR 1,2

Section C
Learning Objectives:

1. To develop an understanding of impact of opinion leaders on consumer groups.

2. To develop an understanding and application of organizational buying behavior.
3. To develop an understanding and application of CRM.

Text Book Ref.

Lecture No Topics to be Covered Book
Opinion leadership and its dynamics: Traits characteristics & dynamics
42-43
of opinion leadership SR 1,2
Modeling consumer behavior: General / Traditional models, The Howard
44-47 Sheth model SR 1,2
Recent developments in modeling buyer behavior: Nicosia’s model of
Consumer Decision Process, Bettman's Information Processing Model of
48-54 SR 1,2, Internet Resources
Consumer Choice, Engel, Blackwell and Kollat’s Model: Engel-
Blackwell-Miniard Model of Consumer Behavior
Organisational buying behavior: Influences, the buying situation, decision
55-58 making process SR 1,2

Customer Relationship Management: Characteristics of CRM,

59-60 Managerial Applications of CRM & CRM and Non-Profit
organisation SR 1,2
 Evaluation:

Continuous Assessment

Weight
Component Date of Submission Date of Announcement of Topic Remarks
(%)

Topics shall be allotted in the class by 2

Internal 1 10 18 January, 2023 10
January 2023

Periodical 1* 10 1-4 February, 2023* - 10

Topics shall be allotted in the class by 13

Internal 2 10 27 February, 2023 10
February, 2023

Periodical 2* 10 15-18 March, 2023* - 10

End Term Assessment

Weight
Component Tentative Date Syllabus Remarks
(%)

Semester 60 16 April- 4 May, 2023* - 60

Exam*
*subject to change.

(Signature of the Teacher/s)

(Signature of the HOD) (Signature of the Dean)