Consumer Behavior

Paper Code: 
BSR 217
Credits: 
3
Contact Hours: 
45.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

The objective of the course is to help the students understand the buying motives and the consequent purchase decision process of a buyer. It helps understand the consumer psychology and the factors influencing buying decisions

9.00

Consumer behaviour: Definition, concepts, importance,
Consumer research: Meaning, Consumer research process, Difference between quantitative & qualitative research
Market segmentation: Definition, importance, bases of segmentation

9.00

Psychological Factors:
Consumer motivation: Meaning, Motivation process, Types of motivation (Negative, Positive), Buying motives (Rational Vs. Emotional motives), Defense mechanisms, Maslow’s need hierarchy model
Personality: Meaning, Nature, Theories of personality (Freudian theory, Non-Freudian theory, Trait theory)
Learning: Meaning, Classical conditioning model, Instrumental conditioning model

11.00

Social factors:
Reference groups: Meaning, Types of reference groups (Normative, Comparative, Indirect), Selected consumer related reference groups (Friendship groups, Shopping groups, Work groups, Virtual groups, Consumer-action groups), Celebrities, Expert, Common man, Company executive, Trade/Spokes character
Family: Meaning, Types (Nuclear, Extended, Single parent), Functions of family, Family life cycle
Social class: Meaning, Social class categories, Measurement of social class (Subjective, Reputational & Objective measures), Social class mobility (Upward, Downward)

9.00

Cultural factors
Culture: Meaning, Levels of subjective culture (Supranational, National, Group Culture), Characteristics
Sub-culture: Meaning, categories of subculture (Nationality, Religious, Geographical, Racial, Age, Gender categories of subculture)

7.00

Post Purchase behaviour:
Behaviour related to purchase, Post purchase evaluation (Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction, dissonance), Product disposition

Essential Readings: 

1. Schiffman, Leon G., and Kanuk, Leslie Lazar, Consumer behaviour, Prentice Hall of India Private Limited, New Delhi
2. Solomon, Michael R., Consumer behavior: Buying, Having and Being, Delhi, Pearson Education (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Indian branch.
3. Loudon, David L. and Bitta, Albert J. Della, Consumer behavior, New Delhi, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.

References: 

1. Nair, Suja R., Consumer behaviour – Text Cases, Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai.
2. Chunawalla, S. A., Commentary on Consumer Behaviour, Himalaya Publishing House, Mumbai

Academic Year: 
2019-2020
  • Printer-friendly version
  • PDF version