Course Details

Program Name PGPLSM Batch 4

Term 5 Year 2024-25

Course Code & Course Title Consumer behaviour

Course type Elective Course Credit 3

Total no. of sessions 24 Session Duration 75 min

Sections (if any) Nil Consultation Hours By prior Appointment

Contact Details [email protected]

Office FC-06, Phase V block, IIMK campus

Pre-requisites (if any) Marketing Management core course

Instructors

Faculty Name

Gladys Stephen

Introduction
This course is designed both from a consumer’s and marketer’s perspective that covers right from the
pre-purchase to post-purchase issues. Every aspect of business revolves around the need to satisfy their
consumers and places them at the heart of all the marketing activities. In this course, students will be
exposed to understanding the why and how consumers choose, use and evaluate the product/services.
Also, this course would cover various aspects of consumer behavior and link it with theories drawn
from various domains – social psychology, behavioral economics, Semiotics, Sociology, Cultural
anthropology.

Learning Objective / Course Outcome

CLO Key Linked Degree of

Verb from Programme Key word emphasis
CLO
CLO Bloom’s Level linking CLO Description given to the
No
Taxonomy Objective with PLO PLO in the
verb list (PLO) No. course
 To obtain a
knowledge
of some Effectively
basics in communicate
Communicate
Consumer complex
across
CLO1 Behavior and Communicate 1.2 information Emphasized
various
effectively through a range
media
communicate of media
it across (Communication)
various
media

To
appreciate
the
importance
of managers’ Integrate and
knowing apply core
consumers concepts to
well and analyze, initiate
Implement
that, in and implement
CLO2 Discover 2.2 the concepts Reinforced
several managerial
learned
instances actions
consumer (Integration &
behavior is application of
the concepts)
foundation
for
marketing
strategy.

To
appreciate
the fact that
Marketing
Managers
deal with
human
Develop
consumers
immense sense of
who are not
Experience environmental
always
CLO3 Demonstrate 3.1 based consciousness Reinforced
“rational”
learning and social
and hence
responsibility
predict their
(Sustainability)
behavior in a
systematic
way. To learn
how to
influence
consumer
behavior

Textbooks and Learning Materials (if any)

Schiffman, L.G., Wisenblit, J. & Kumar, R. S. (2019). Consumer Behavior (12th Edn) Pearson
India

Reference Books
 Solomon, M.R (2017). Consumer Behavior – Buying, Having & Being (11th Edn) Pearson India.

Additional Readings (if any)

In addition, electronic copies of relevant reading materials will be distributed as and when required.

Case

1. Beleza Natural
2. Ather Energy: Motivating India for smart electric scooters.
3. CavinKare’s Indica Easy: Launching Shampoo Hair Colour
4. Fret and Regret: A Consumer Decision-Making Dilemma
5. Gillete shaving gender stereotypes
6. BoAt Lifestyle: Exploring Strategies to Sustain the Growth Momentum
7. Sustaining an Ethnic Soft Drink - Paper Boat: Brand Positioning and Consumer Behavior

Technology & Software (if any)

Not applicable

Other Resources (Journals, Internet Websites) (if any)

Readings:
1. Picture This: Why Online Image Searches Drive Purchases
2. How Much More Would Holiday Shoppers Pay to Wear Something Rare?
3. The Art of Persuasion Hasn't Changed in 2,000 Years - HBR
4. Chick Beer’ for Women? Why Gender Marketing Repels More Than Sells
5. The Story of Why Humans Are So Careless With Their Phones
6. How Our Brain Determines if the Product is Worth the Price
7. Apple Pay’s Technology Adoption Problem
8. How Grocery Bags Manipulate Your Mind

Pedagogy/Learning Process

‘Consumer Behavior’ is a concept and theory-driven course. The course demands active involvement
and appreciation for behavioral theories from the students. The course will be driven through different
components of experiential learning such as case discussion and presentations, class activities, and
group projects. The pedagogy requires individual and group participation from the students to
maximize the learning

Evaluation Components/Assessment of Student Learning

PLO
Tested
Assessment Tool Weight Remarks Description
(give the
PLO No)

Class
Participation/Activties/Case 30 Individual/Group
Discussion
 Quiz 10 Individual

Project 20 Group

Integrate and
apply core
concepts to
analyze, initiate
and implement
2.2
End Term 40 Individual managerial
actions
(Integration &
application of
concepts)

Session Plan

Session Reading
Module Topic Covered
No Material

Introduction and Course

Introduction to Consumer
1-2 Overview
Behaviour

Learning, Memory and

Cognition
Affect and Emotion
Needs and Motivation
3-14 Internal Influences Personality and Lifestyle
Attitude formation and change
Influence and Persuasion
Attention, Sensation and
Perception

Buying Environment
Social influence
15- 19 External Influences Cultures and sub-cultures
Gender and feminism

Involvement and Decision

Consumer Decision
20 - 22 Making Process
Making

Project Presentation/ Course

Project Presentation/
23-24 Wrap
Course Wrap

Additional Instructions (If any)

1. Group formation: Students will form groups among themselves. Each group will have a
maximum of 5 members.
2. Case analysis: Cases specified for the relevant sessions should be read before each class.
Guidelines for preparation of each case discussion will be shared separately with the class at a
later date. For case sessions, it is mandatory to come prepared to class after reading, discussing
within your respective groups and analyzing the cases based on the guidelines for preparation.
3. Project Work: There will be a group project. Additional information about this will be shared
with the class at a later date.