Introduction
Meaning of Consumer Behaviour; Difference between Consumer & Customer; Nature & characteristics of Indian Consumers; Consumerism: meaning; Consumer Movement in India; Rights & Responsibilities of consumers in India; Benefits of consumerism. Research on Consumer Behaviour; Consumer Behaviour and Society.
Models of Consumer Behaviour
Input-Process-Output Model, Nicosia Model, Howard Sheth Model, Engel-Kollat-Blackwell Models of Consumer Behaviour, Internal Influences, External Influences.
Consumer Decision Making:
Consumer Buying Decision Process, Levels of Consumer Decision Making – Four views of consumer decision making. On-line Decision Making: Meaning & Process/Stages. Situational Influences- Nature of Situational Influence, Situational Characteristics and consumption behaviour. Class Exercise: Conducting consumer experiments.
Individual Influences on Consumer Behaviour and CRM Part –I
a) Motivation:
Basics of Motivation, Needs, Goals, Positive & Negative Motivation, Rational Vs Emotional motives, Motivation Process, Arousal of motives, Selection of goals. Motivation Theories and Marketing Strategy - Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, McGuire’s Psychological Motives.
b) Personality:
Basics of Personality, Theories of Personality and Marketing Strategy (Freudian Theory, NeoFreudian Theory, Trait Theory), Applications of Personality concepts in Marketing, Personality and understanding consumer diversity, Brand Personality, Self and Self-Image.
c) Perception:
Basics of Perception & Marketing implications, Elements of Perception, Dynamics of Perception, Influence of perception on CB, Consumer Imagery, Perceived price, Perceived quality, price/quality relationship, Perceived Risk, Types of risk, How to consumers’ handle risk.
Individual Influences on Consumer Behaviour and CRM Part –II
d)Learning:
Elements of Consumer Learning, Marketing Applications of Behavioural Learning Theories, Classical Conditioning – Pavlovian Model, Neo-Pavlovian Model, Instrumental Conditioning.
e) Attitude:
Basics of attitude, the nature of attitude, Models of Attitude and Marketing Implication, (Tricomponent Model of attitude, Multi attribute attitude models. Elaboration Likelihood Model).
Persuasive Communication:
Communications strategy, Target Audience, Media Strategy, Message strategies, Message structure and presentation
External Influences on Consumer Behaviour
Social Class:
Social Class Basics, What is Social Class? (Social class & Social status, the dynamics of status consumption, Features of Social Class, Five Social-Class Categories in India.
Culture:
Basics, Meaning, Characteristics, Factors affecting culture, Role of customs, values and beliefs in Consumer Behaviour. Subculture: Meaning, Subculture division and consumption pattern in India, Types of subcultures. Cross Culture - Cross-cultural consumer analysis - Cross-cultural marketing strategy: Crosscultural marketing problems in India, Strategies to overcome cross-cultural problems.
Groups:
Meaning and Nature of Groups, Types Family: The changing structure of family, Family decision making and consumption related roles, Dynamics of husband-wife decision making, The family life cycle & marketing strategy, Traditional family life cycle & marketing implications, Reference Groups: Understanding the power & benefits of reference groups, Factors that affect reference group influence, Types of reference group, Reference Group Appeals.
Consumer Influence and Diffusion of Innovations
Opinion Leadership:
Dynamics of opinion leadership process, Measurement of opinion leadership, Market Mavens, Opinion Leadership & Marketing Strategy, Creation of Opinion Leaders.
Diffusion of Innovations:
Diffusion Process, Adoption Process: Stages, categories of adopters, Post Purchase Processes. Customer Relationship Management- Meaning & Significance of CRM, Types of CRM Strategies for building relationship marketing, e-CRM, Meaning, Importance of e-CRM, Difference Between CRM & e-CRM
Case Study: Pillsbury Cookie Challenge.
Course outcomes:
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
1. Explain the background and concepts vital for understanding Consumer Behaviour.
2. Identify the role of variables that determines Consumer Behaviour in Social & cultural domain.
3. Identifying the psychological and behavioural practices adopted by organizations to enhance the Consumer Behaviour.
Practical Components:
• Students can go to malls and unorganized retail outlets and observe the behaviour of consumers of different demographic segments while buying different category of goods. The students need to present the findings / observations followed with a group discussion.
• Students have to prepare a questionnaire and conduct the survey on consumer buying behaviour and present the findings in the class.
• Find three advertisements that appeal to the need for power, affiliation and achievement. Discuss their effectiveness. Rewrite these for persons in different levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy?
• Meet your friends and conduct a survey to find what are the important factors in their purchase of mobiles, shoes, bags etc.
• Conduct a study on advertisements regarding a specific product and find out how consumer deal with the information overload.
Question paper pattern:
The SEE question paper will be set for 100 marks and the marks scored will be proportionately reduced to 60.
Texbooks
1 Consumer Behaviour Leon Schiffman, Leslie Kanuk Pearson Latest Edition
2 Consumer Behaviour: A Managerial Perspective Dr.Dheeraj Sharma, Jagdish N Sheth, Banwari Mittal Cengage Learning Latest Edition
3 Consumer Behaviour Sethna Sage Publications 4/e, 2018
4 Advertisement Brands & Consumer BehaviourCase Book Ramesh Kumar Sage Publications 2017
Reference Books
1 Consumer Behaviour in Indian Perspective Suja Nair Himalaya Publications 2015
2 Consumer Behaviour: Building Marketing Strategy Dell, Hawking & others Tata McGraw Hill Latest Edition
3 Consumer Behaviour Satish K Batra & S H H Kazmi Excel Books Latest Edition