CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR COURSE CO-ORDINATOR: DR HARSH V VERMA**

This document is strictly for the students opting for Consumer Behavior course. The circulation is restricted.

1. Marketing, business organization and consumer behaviour; Learning from mistakes and successes in the marketplace; Developing an approach to understanding consumer behaviour; consumer behaviour and marketing strategy. S&K*- 1, 16; L&D 1,19; B,M&E* 1&2; H,B&C 1 2. Simplified model of consumer behaviour; concept of external variables and hypothetical constructs; consumer as problem solver; consumer involvement and concept of risk. S&K*- 7&9; L&D 1&10; B,M&E* 3; H,B&C - 14 3. Consumer decision processes; Psychology of simplification and complication; Modelling decision processes in various product, customer and market conditions. S&K 16; L&D 15; B,M &E* - 3; H,B & C* 13, 14,15. 4. Consumer perception and external environment; Information acquisition and integration, product positioning and repositioning; Consumer learning, theories and applications. S&K* 6,7; L&D* 11&12; B,M&E 9; H,B&C 9. 5. Consumer motivation and product linkages; Motivation theories and their application; Motivation research; Means end chain and consumer values. S&K* 4; L&D 10; B,M&E* 8; H,B &C 10. 6. Consumer attitude; Tri-component model; Attitude measurement and change; Cognitive dissonance theory; Attitude theories and models. S&K* 8; L&D 13&14*; B,M&E 10; H,B&C 11. 7. Consumer personality and self-concept; Personality theories and consumer behaviour applications; Brand image and personality; Personal values and decision processes; Self concept and measurement; Application of concepts in marketing; Indian consumer psychographic groupings. S&K* 5; L&D* 9; B,M &E 7; H,B&C 12.

8. Consumer demographics and psychographics; Values and lifestyle segmentation and marketing strategy; Life style measurement and life style marketing, Lifestyle marketing cases. S&K 3; L&D 2; B,M&E* 7; H,B&C* 12. 9. Consumer behaviour and group influences; types of reference groups and types of influences; Reference groups appeals in marketing; Communication within groups and opinion leadership; Word of mouth communication, Diffusion of innovation. S&K 10; L&D 6, 8; B,M&E* 13; H,B&C* 7. 10. Family and household influences on consumer behaviour; Family as a buying unit; Family life cycle; Family purchasing decisions- role and power dynamics; Changing family and household structures; Changing role of men and women; Family and marketing strategy applications. S&K* 10; L&D 7; B,M&E* 12; H,B&C 6. 11. Cultural and sub-culture influence on consumer behaviour; The invisible hand; Cultural values and measurement; American and Indian core cultural values; Value change over time; Sub culture and its influence on consumer behaviour. S&K* 12; L&D 3,4; B,M&E* 11; H,B&C 5. 12. Organisational buying behaviour; Concept of buying unit; Organisational and individual buying behaviour; Type of decision situations; Oraganisational buying models. L&D 21; H,B&C 19*. REFERENCES: S&K Schiffman, L.G. and L.L.Kanuk, Consumer Behavior, New Delhi, Prentice Hall, 2002. L&D Loudon, D.L. and A.J. Della Bitta, Consumer Behavior, New Delhi, Tata McGraw Hill, 2002. B,M.&E. Blackwell, R.D., P.W. Mineard and J.F. Engel, Consumer Behavior, New Delhi, Vikas, 2002. H,B&C Hawkins, D.I., R.J. Best and K.A.Coney, Consumer Behavior, New Delhi, Tata McGraw Hill, 2002. *Signifies the preferred reading and does not exclude others. Check out the themes in new editions, chapter placements may have been changed.
(E mail harshfms@rediffmail.com Note- the course is entirely case based. The cases and assignments will be announced in during the sessions.