SVKM’s

NARSEE MONJEE INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN MANAGEMENT
Program: PGDM Trimester: IV

Course: CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR Code: 80203M003

Teaching Scheme Evaluation Scheme

Classroom Practical/ Tutorials Credit Continuous Term End Examination
Session Group work Evaluation (TEE)
20 3 50% 50%

Course Rationale:

Insights based on understanding of consumer behavior help marketing strategy development as well as business
decision making. Successful formulation of a marketing plan as well as its implementation is dependent on how
well the planners and doers have understood consumers. This elective course introduces concepts and tools that
help marketing majoring students to understand consumer behavior and encourage them to apply them in
marketing decision making.

Course Objectives:
1. The course aims at achieving sound understanding of concepts and frameworks relevant to marketing
decision making.
2. It introduces students to useful tools in consumer research and insight gathering.
3. The understanding and skills through the course would make the students capable of creating/designing
marketing strategies that would yield superior results in the competitive business world.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Appreciate variations in consumer choice and usage phenomena and its impact on marketing strategy.
2. Understand Psychological and Socio-Cultural Factors influencing consumer behavior.
3. Analyze influence of these factors on choice, usage and adoption of brands.
4. Formulate Marketing Programs in the light of the above understanding and analysis.

Prerequisite(s):

Marketing Management (Core Course)

Pedagogy:
 Consumer Behavior is close to our lives as we are all consumers. Hence, participants are expected to engage
closely with their own customer and consumption experiences so that the learning is experiential. A
combination of mini projects, exercises, case discussions and lectures will facilitate learning. Most of the
course work to be done outside class will have to be done in small study groups. Form your groups (four
members in each) that allow maximum diversity among group members.

Textbook:
 Consumer Behavior, 9e, Leon G. Schiffman, Leslie Lazar Kanuk, Prentice Hall, 2009
Reference Books:
 Case Studies in Consumer Behavior, S. Ramesh Kumar, Pearson, 2012.
 Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, Paco Underhill, Simon and Schuster, 2009.
 We are Like that Only, Rama Bijapurkar, Penguin.

Journals:
 Journal of Consumer Research
 Journal of Marketing
 Harvard Business Review

Links to websites:

Evaluation Scheme:
 Quizzes/Case Analysis 15%
 Group Assignment 15%
 Mid-Term Exam 20%
 Term-End Exam 50%
Total 100%

Session Plan:

Session Topic Learning Outcomes Pedagogical Tool1 Textbook Chapters &

Readings
1 Conceptual overview Case: Text Book:
of Consumer Behavior Mahindra & Chapter : 1
& Consumer Research Mahindra: Marketing
 Define Consumer/
 Impact of Intrinsic a Low-Priced Mini-
Consumer behavior
and extrinsic Tractor
 Distinguish #W16470-PDF-ENG
variables on
consumer market Published 2016
Consumer decision
from industrial HBS
making and usage of
market
products and
services

2-3 Discussion on Product Depth Text Book:

categories Interview/Video Chapter : 13
 Variations in Supplement
 Recall the different
purchase across
phases of consumer
categories
problem solving,
 Variations in use customer
across categories satisfaction, and
and Consumer adoption.
Decision &
 Distinguish rational
Decision Rules
decision making
from adoption
process in terms of

1
 strategic
implications
 Understand
variations in
consumer choice and
usage phenomena
 Distinguish
Extensive, Limited
and Routine problem
solving
 Understand
Marketing
Considerations
across core
motivational
conditions

4-5 Using Behavioural Data Case: Text Book:

for Designing Customer Harrah’s Chapter: 15
Experience Entertainment, Inc.
 Apply Consumer
#502011-PDF-ENG
behavioral data for
Published 2001
market segmentation
Revised 2004
and strategy.
HBS
 Comprehend the
psychological cost
involved in product
adoption and
Address adoption
reluctance through
appropriate strategy

6 Mapping the Class Discussion on Text Book:

consumption process for Consumption Chapter :13
marketing insights mapping
 Explain specific post
Discuss attribution,
purchase behavior
dissonance reduction
with the help of
and disconfirmation
attribution and
theories
dissonance reduction
and disconfirmation
theories.
 Apply consumption
chain mapping
framework to
identify potential
product/service
improvements

7-8 Adoption of Innovation  Analyze factors Case: Text Book:

Discussion on how non influencing Tivo in 2002: Chapter: 15
economic factors impact Consumer choice. Consumer Behavior
adoption of products  Configure a choice #502062-PDF-ENG
 and set for consumer Published March
Services goods or services 2002
based on insights Revised Jul. 2002
on choice-set HBS
manipulation
9-10 Discuss how  Appreciate marketers Case: Text Book:
understanding of responsibility to Harley-Davidson: Chapter : 3
individual self and address personality Chasing a New
lifestyles help marketing and lifestyle Generation of
decisions differences Customers
Discuss VALS for  Use personality and #KEL742-PDF-ENG
market Segmentation lifestyle cues in Published 2013
and targeting marketing strategy HBS
and programme or
development esp. for Reebok International
product positioning Ltd.
and promotion #589027-PDF-ENG
 Understand and Published 1988
apply VALS for Revised 1989
segmentation and HBS
targeting
 Apply ZMET in
understanding
perceptions of brand
identity

11-12 Analyzing consumer Discussion on Tools Text Book:

perceptions Perceptual Related to Perceptual Chapter : 4
mapping Mapping
 Distinguish between
Discuss impact of voluntary and
contextual stimuli on involuntary attention
perception & Suggest
measures to elicit
involuntary attention
 Develop a perceptual
map for a
brand/category of
interest
 Understand absolute
threshold,
differential
threshold, JND and
use it in marketing
tactics esp. in
marketing
communication
 Apply knowledge of
sensory stimuli in
context of store
design, layout,
merchandise display,
colors used, Music
used extensively in
marketing, smell and
 texture of garments
and upholstery

13 Discuss Attitude Case: Text Book:

concepts and PSI India--Will Chapter: 4
frameworks Balbir Pasha Help
Measurement of Fight AIDS? (A)
Consumer Attitude #507032-PDF-ENG
Published 2006
Revised 2012
HBS
14 Habitual consumption  Understand Class discussion Research Paper/
and drivers of loyalty consumer decision Articles:
Sales promotion and making (habitual, Mark D. Uncles,
change in behavior loyal) in the light of Grahame R. Dowling,
Loyalty Programs learning Kathy Hammond,
ELM Model  Exemplify how sales (2003) "Customer
promotional efforts loyalty and customer
help change behavior loyalty programs",
 Appreciate the Journal of Consumer
potential of loyalty Marketing, Vol. 20
programmes to Issue: 4, pp.294-316,
encourage habitual https://doi.org/10.1108/
decision making 07363760310483676
 Evaluate the positive
or negative impact of
sales promotional
programmes in the
light of
reward/punishment
theory of learning
Measure brand
loyalty
 Understand Theory
of passive learning;
 Recommend
appropriate message
strategy for low vs.
high involvement
product advertising
based on
understanding of
ELM concept.
 Develop a plan of
action around 4Ps
for an FMCG
category vs.
Consumer Durable
category in a given
business context.
15-16 Discussion on the role  Understand the Role Plays Text Book:
of reference group in heavy impact family Chapter: 9
consumer decision and reference groups
making has on consumer
choice
  Impact of word of  Contrast family
mouth on decision making to
consumption. individual decision
Practices for making
generating positive  Evaluate the
word of mouth potential of differing
Family decision influence of
making and Life reference groups in
cycle different product
categories
 Use this insight in
contexts like
introduction of new
products, product
repositioning.
17-18 Discussion on  Organize content of Case: Text Book:
Concepts and a website like yahoo Big Bazaar Family Chapter : 11
dimension of culture based on regional Center
and cultural values considerations in a #606099-PDF-ENG
multicultural society Published: 2006
 Indian cultural like India HBS
values and Global  Adapt advertising
cultures execution for a
 Discussion on nationally marketed
learning consumer product (cell phone)
culture and for regional cultures
Consumer Decision in Indian society
Models  Understand
Hofsted’s
conceptualization of
national cultures and
appreciate its
relevance in
international
marketing.
 Infer the central role
of values in culture
and appreciate
incorporating the
same in marketing to
cultures
19-20 Social class; Social  Understand SEC Case: Text Book:
comparison theory; classifications The Case of a Tea Chapter : 10
Marketing to BoP;  Use this Class, Consumer
Luxury Marketing understanding for Behaviour, Rajneesh
targeting and Krishna
communication Pg.166, OUP
 Appreciate the
difference between
rural and urban
shopping behavior
 Understand the
concepts of social
class mobility and
relate it to segment
shifts occurring in
the Indian society.
 Analyse conspicuous
consumption and its
linkages to luxury
product marketing