• Analyse consumer behaviour in a specific case setting through an insightful, reflective and critical application of relevant behavioural, cognitive, experiential, and socio-cultural approaches to consumption.
• Perform advanced market analysis, segmentation and targeting based on secondary data.
• Analyze and reflect on changes in consumption based on in-depth knowledge about the target segment and the theoretical foundations of the course.
• Voice ethical considerations (e.g., sustainability issues) relevant to your analyses, while taking into account the well-being of consumers, businesses, and society at large.
• Present a clear and coherent argument for the selection of key theories and models, and follow academic conventions in the written presentation.

Aim of the course

The course Perspectives on Consumer Behaviour is one of two foundational courses for the BCM concentration. It gives students the opportunity to develop deep knowledge about consumption phenomena relevant for business survival. It deals with the crucial issues of why and how consumers consume and how marketers may create and deliver value based on this. We take an analytical approach to consumption based on theoretical tools and secondary data and help students understand that businesses need to be compassionate about consumers’ needs - whilst keeping societal needs in mind - in order to build competitive advantage.  
 

Content

Consumers can be understood in many ways depending on how we look at them. The course introduces the student to four different theoretical approaches to understanding consumer behaviour: behavioural, cognitive, experiential, and socio-cultural approaches. It examines the assumptions underlying each of these approaches, as well as their strengths and limitations in relation to the decision processes of marketing managers. After performing market segmentation, students are encouraged to apply these theoretical perspectives to analyse specific consumption settings and work critically with different solutions to cases in a collaborative environment. We seek to address humanity’s challenges by using cases that include a link between consumption and ethical concerns (e.g., sustainability issues) and how they might be resolved to the benefit of consumers, businesses, and society at large. Student groups will be diverse in terms of nationality, experience, personalities, etc. and students should use this diversity to cross-fertilize and add value to their case work.  

Course progression

Consumer Behaviour is one of two foundational courses in the study program.

The course is primarily based on seminal research papers:(Indicative literature - final literature will be announced upon enrollment):

• Arnould & Price (1993). “River Magic: Extraordinary Experience and the Extended Service Encounter”. Journal of Consumer Research, 20 (June), pp. 24-45.

• Belk, Russ W. (1988). “Possessions and the Extended Self”. Journal of Consumer Research, 15 (September), 139-168.

• Belk Russ W, Ger Guliz, and Søren Askegaard. (2003). ”The Fire of Desire: A Multisited Inquiry into Consumer Passion”.Journal of Consumer Research, 30 (December), pp. 326-351.

• Fournier, Susan (1998). “Consumers and Their Brands: Developing Relationship Theory in Consumer Research.” Journal of Consumer Research, 24 (March), pp. 343-373.

• Kivetz, Ran, Oleg Urminsky, and Yhuang Zheng (2006). “The Goal-Gradient Hypothesis Resurrected: Purchase Acceleration, Illusionary Goal Progress, and Customer Retention.” Journal of Marketing Research, 43 (February), pp. 39-58.

• Levy, Sidney. J. (1959). “Symbols for Sale.” Harvard Business Review, 37, pp. 117-124.

• McCracken (1986). “Culture and consumption.” Journal of Consumer Research, 13 (June), pp. 71-84.

• Nord, Walter R., and J. Paul Peter (1980). “A Behavior Modification Perspective on Marketing.” Journal of Marketing, 44 (Spring), pp. 36-47.