APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2016/2017

GRA 2418 Understanding the Consumer: Current Limitations and Future Directions of Theory and Method

Responsible for the course
Erik Olson

Department
Department of Marketing

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction


Learning outcome
This course is designed to expose students to the research work of the marketing faculty and other issues and research streams that comprise the field of consumer behavior. The course is article based, with selections from the research in progress of marketing faculty and other papers from some of the most well-known and respected journals covering marketing issues.

Prerequisites

All courses in the Masters programme will assume that students have fulfilled the admission requirements for the programme. In addition, courses in second, third and/or fourth semester can have spesific prerequisites and will assume that students have followed normal study progression. For double degree and exchange students, please note that equivalent courses are accepted.

Compulsory reading

Articles:
The list of articles will be made available prior to course start

A selection of scientific articles from journals as for example Jounal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, Journal of Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing

Other:
During the course there may be hand-outs and other material on additional topics relevant for the course and the examination.


Recommended reading

Course outline
The design of the course is meant to encourage discussion of the issues, theories and methods that are used and tested in the study of consumer behavior. While topics for this course can change from year to year depending on the research currently being done in the marketing department and other factors, some examples of past topics include the discussion of:

- Branding – alternative means of measuring the impact of brand knowledge on behavior
- Culture – how do cultures differ in terms of reactions to humor, materialism, pressure to conform?
- Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty – alternative definitions and measures, do loyalty programs work?
- Internet – impact of Internet as a source of product information, Electronic Word of Mouth, as a sales channel, and a marketing research tool.
- Risk – objective versus subjective risk and its impact on behavior
- Sources of Deviant Consumption Behavior – can we get people to stop smoking, taking drugs, etc.?
- Sponsorship Effects Measurement – how do firms know they are getting what they paid for?
- Market Orientation – how do you get an entire organization to focus on customers and competition?
- Cause Related Marketing - marketing good things for society while promoting your own firm.

Computer-based tools
Not applicable

Learning process and workload
Each session of the course will offer discussion and critical review of the latest research on important and emerging issues in marketing. Students are expected to be well prepared for each discussion by reading the assigned article list. Students will also be responsible for developing a research design paper on a topic of their choosing which may also prove to be an excellent way to develop a thesis topic. This research design will also be the basis for a short student presentation to the class, where feedback from the instructor and classmates can help in improving the final paper.

A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours.

Please note that it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/It's learning or text book.

Examination
Your course grade will be based on the following activities and weights:
30 % - Class Participation
50 % - Research Proposal Paper, in a group of up to 3 students
20 % - Proposal Presentation