BUSS 342: Consumer Behavior

2012_Fall

Professor: / Jungkeun Kim, Ph.D.
Office Hours: / by appointment
Office:
Phone:
e-mail: /
TA: / *all the documents should be submitted to the TA.

COURSE OVERVIEW

Course Description

This course introduces an interdisciplinary approach to analyze and interpret consumer behavior. This course provides a basic understanding of the general models of consumer behavior as it relates to marketing decision making. Emphasis is on consumer decision-making, consumer information processing, consumer research, hedonic aspects of consumption, and consumer well-being.

** This course is open to students who have completed BUSS 205 (Principles of Marketing). You cannot take BUSS 205 and this course concurrently.

Course Objectives

·  Providing a basic understanding of the psychological processes affecting consumer behavior

·  Linking an understating of consumer behavior to developing marketing strategies

·  Gaining experiences in gathering and analyzing consumer data

Course Format

A combination of lectures, discussions, short cases, in-class exercises, guest lectures, and group projects will be used to achieve the objectives of this course.

EKU

Class notes, syllabus, additional readings and class announcements will be posted on EKU (portal.korea.ac.kr → EKU). It is recommended to check EKU regularly for up-to-date information and materials.

Course Materials

·  Required Text.

·  Lecture Notes. Lecture notes will be posted on EKU.

§  Hoyer and Maclnnis, “Consumer Behavior,” 5th ed.,

GRADING

The final grade will be assessed on the following weights:

Individual Work (70%) / Points
Class Participation/Assignments / 20
Individual Project (presentation-5%) / 20
Final Exam / 30
Group Work (30%)
Group Project Presentation / 10
Group Project Report / 20
Total / 100

Individual Work (70points)

Class Participation/Assignments (20 points)

Much part of this class will be spent on class discussions. Class discussions take forms of both individual and group discussions. It is your responsibility to actively participate in class discussions. Your class participation will be checked regularly and incorporated into your grades in the end of the term. Both quantity and quality are important.

You can also expect some individual assignments. These assignments are related to finding real world examples and applications of the concepts and ideas discussed in class. A typical assignment is about 1 page long.

Individual Project (20 points)

You will be required to complete one individual project in order to solve your personal/consumption problem based on theory of consumer behavior. You can choose any topic or issue for this project. The details of the project will be explained later during the course

This will be presented on the 12th week of the term.

Maximum 4 pages write-up is required (This page limit does not include tables, figures in Appendix and reference pages).

Final Exam (30 points)

There is no Midterm and only a Final Exam. The final exam will consists of multiple choice questions and short essays. It will cover the topics that we cover in the lectures and text book. The exam is closed book and closed notes, and no cheat sheets are allowed.

Group Work (30 points)

Group Project

You will be required to complete one group project in order to gain hands-on experience in researching consumer behavior. Groups of 4-6 members (exact number will be announced later) will be formed to work on project. The group should be formed by the end of the second week. In order to stimulate equal contribution of all group members, there will be a peer evaluation at the end of the semester. The details of the project will be explained later during the course and group project instruction sheets.

This will be presented on the 14th week of the term.

Maximum15 pages write-up is required (This page limit does not include tables, figures in Appendix and reference pages).

CLASS POLICY

Attendance

If you have to miss class due to unavoidable events you need to submit a proof document (e.g., doctor’s note) to the TA.

Late attendance

Showing up after the attendance call will be recorded as “late” and two “lates” will be counted as one absence.

Classroom Courtesy

Turn off cell phones or other electronic noisemakers. Do not carry on irrelevant conversations nor disturb your classmates with private conversations.

Make-up Exams

You are expected to take the exams at the time scheduled unless other arrangements have been made with the instructor in advance. Make-up exams will be offered only to students who received approval from the instructor prior to the examination date.

Assignment deadlines.

All written work is due at the beginning of session on the due date. Late assignments will be down-graded. E-mail submissions will not be accepted.

Academic Misconducts.

Any academic misconduct will not be tolerated in any case. Academic misconducts include cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of records. Academic misconducts can result in a failing grade, expulsion from the course, and disciplinary probation.

Week / Date / Day / Topic / Chapter / Note
1 / 8/28 / Tue / Course introduction
8/30 / Thu / CB introduction / Ch.1
2 / 9/4 / Tue / Psychological Core I / Ch.2, 3, 4
9/6 / Thu / Psychological Core II / Ch.2, 3, 4 / ** Submit group project team
members
3 / 9/11 / Tue / Psychological Core III / Consumer Research I / Ch.2, 3, 4
9/13 / Thu / Consumer Research II / Enrich. Ch.
4 / 9/18 / Tue / Consumer Research III / Enrich. Ch
9/20 / Thu / Attitude I / Ch.5, 6
5 / 9/25 / Tue / Attitude II / Ch.5, 6
9/27 / Thu / No class – (replace by individual meeting)
6 / 10/2 / Tue / No class – (replace by individual meeting)
10/4 / Thu / Guest lecture I
7 / 10/9 / Tue / Memory I / Ch. 7
10/11 / Thu / Memory II/ Decision Making I / Ch.8, 9, 10, 11
8 / Midterm Week
9 / 10/23 / Tue / Decision Making II / Ch.8, 9, 10, 11
10/25 / Thu / Decision Making III / Ch.8, 9, 10, 11
10 / 10/30 / Tue / Decision Making IV / Ch.8, 9, 10, 11
11/1 / Thu / Guest lecture II
11 / 11/6 / Tue / Cultural Influence I / Ch.12, 13, 14, 15
11/8 / Thu / Cultural Influence II / Ch.12, 13, 14, 15
12 / 11/13 / Tue / Individual Project Presentation / ** Individual project due date (11/13)
11/15 / Thu / Individual Project Presentation
13 / 11/20 / Tue / Special topics I / Ch. 17, 18, 14, 15r forma due date (11/13)
11/22 / Thu / Special topics II / Ch. 17, 18
14 / 11/27 / Tue / Group Project Presentation
11/29 / Thu / Group Project Presentation / ** Group project due date (11/30)
15 / 12/4 / Tue / Review
12/6 / Thu / Final Exam

* This schedule provides only an overview of the course and detail of the schedule is subject to change.

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