BIN 3279 Consumer behavior with a focus on brand management in retail business

BIN 3279 Consumer behavior with a focus on brand management in retail business

Course code: 
BIN 3279
Department: 
Marketing
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Robert Ingvaldsen
Course name in Norwegian: 
Forbrukeratferd med fordypning i merkevareledelse innen varehandelen
Product category: 
Executive
Portfolio: 
Special Course
Semester: 
2020 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
Norwegian
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

Consumer behavior and brand management are two key subject areas that concern almost everyone who works in the private sector. The course is about understanding positioning and value creation for customers and brand owners, with the intention of becoming a preferred supplier of a product or service. As industry increasingly becomes more exposed to competition, customers consequently have a choice between alternative suppliers. In addition, it may be crucial that the brand owner has secured trademark protection against others exploiting the brand in a competitive situation. Rules of good commercial practice and knowledge of the rules that apply to trademarks and imitations are important for promoting healthy competition and preventing unfair competition. 

This is an introductory course that has a broad focus, including the relevant themes:
•    The consumer’s decision-making process and choice models
-    How the consumer is affected before, during, and after a choice is made
-    How to reach the consumer in the marketing clutter
-    How to understand consumer behavior, as a necessity for survival in a competitive environment. 
•    Brand management
-    How to analyze a brand, in order to achieve a desired position with the consumer and increase the brand awareness in a buying situation
-    How the brand communicates is crucial for the consumer’s decision-making process
•    Legal and ethical considerations
- Knowledge of regulations for marketing products and services
 

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

After completing the course, participants should be able to explain key concepts and have a general understanding of consumer behavior as a subject area. One should also be able to describe and understand why brands exist in markets, and what value and benefit they provide to customers and brand owners. This includes various theories and models for understanding the processes that lead to the consumer's choice of a product, as well as the processes that take place after purchase and increase repeat purchases. Participants must become aware of relevant legal issues related to marketing, trademark protection, counterfeiting, and knowledge of good business- / marketing- and trading practices.

Learning outcomes - Skills

Participants should be able to apply relevant theories and models to understand the processes that lead to the consumer's choice of a brand, as well as the processes that take place after purchase and that affect future purchases. In addition, participants should be able to present, use and apply theories in brand management, such as the brand pyramid or other brand models to identify gaps between a brand's real and desired position. Further, one should be able to develop proposals for brand strategies to create growth for the brand, be able to apply knowledge and theory about brand development across different contexts, and to relevant legal issues.

General Competence

After completing the course, participants should be able to ask critical questions and reflect on assumptions within consumer behavior as a subject area. As brands play a central role in markets, actors may be tempted to act unethically to achieve desired results. Participants must be able to ask critical questions and reflect on how legal issues are handled in a broader perspective related to sustainable expectations and ethical challenges. They must have developed a conscious attitude to concepts such as good marketing and business ethics. 

Course content

The consumer decision-making process and choice models
•    The consumer as an individual with needs, personality and perception
•    Attitude formation and attitude change strategies
•    The consumer in their social context with friends, family, culture and social class
•    Consumer behavior in stores and new channels

  Brand analysis - The brand value chain and the brand pyramid
•    Brand positioning
•    Brand extensions and brand portfolios
•    Communication- Brand communication
•    EMV
•    Category management / category management

Legal protection of trademarks and rules for product imitation
•    Rules for unreasonable and misleading marketing
•    Good (ethical) marketing and business practice
 

Teaching and learning activities

The course consists of 45 hours (6 course days). It contains lectures, discussions, exercises, and reflection activities. For each lecture, students are expected to follow the plan and show up prepared. Self-study activities, teaching, and exams correspond to an hourly consumption of about 200 hours. Throughout the semester, recommended electronic submission assignments will be posted on It's Learning.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Qualifications

Higher Education Entrance Qualification

Covid-19

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there may be deviations in teaching and learning activities as well as exams, compared with what is described in this course description.

Exam categoryWeightInvigilationDurationGroupingComment exam
Exam category:
Submission
Form of assessment:
Written submission
Exam code:
BIN 32791
Grading scale:
ECTS
Grading rules:
Internal and external examiner
Resit:
Examination when next scheduled course
100No 1 Semester(s)Group/Individual ( 1 - 3)
Exams:
Exam category:Submission
Form of assessment:Written submission
Weight: 100
Invigilation:No
Grouping (size):Group/Individual (1-3)
Duration: 1 Semester(s)
Comment:
Exam code:BIN 32791
Grading scale:ECTS
Resit:Examination when next scheduled course
Type of Assessment: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Course codeCredit reduction
BIN 3013100
Credit reductions:
Course code:BIN 3013
Credit reduction:100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
45 Hour(s)
Examination
75 Hour(s)
Student's own work with learning resources
80 Hour(s)
Sum workload: 
200

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.