MKT 690 Special Topics: Advanced Consumer Behavior

Prerequisite: MKT 650

Instructor: Dr. Fahri Karakaya
E-Mail: f1karakaya@Umassd.edu
Office Hours:  by appointment
Spring 2018

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
To provide the students with sound theory of why consumers behave as they do, understand consumer research operations, and jargon, and apply theory and research to business problems. Special emphasis will be given to various economic and behavioral models which attempt to explain and predict patterns of consumer behavior.

COURSE MATERIALS:
Required : Solomon, Michael R. (2017) Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being, 12th Edition. Pearson,  ISBN-13: 978-0-13-412993-8

SUGGESTED READINGS:
Selected articles from the following journals:
Journal of Consumer Research
Journal of Consumer Marketing
Journal of Marketing
Advances in Consumer Research

METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: This course will be taught using a variety of techniques. Lectures, class discussion of assigned cases, and readings will serve as the focus of instruction and learning. Students will be expected to familiarize themselves with the course materials and be prepared to respond to questions in class.

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Student are expected to attend classes regularly. Missed classes are not an excuse for missed assignments or material that is covered. Missing an unreasonable number of classes may be a cause for dismissal from the course.

No make-up exams will be given unless there has been an extenuating circumstance(s) supported by proper documentation and prior notice!
EXTRA CREDIT: Not assigned nor accepted.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS: All assignments are due on the date as noted on the course schedule, or when assigned by the professor in class. Late assignments will not be accepted and will be considered as a score of zero.

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY: A high standard of conduct in one’s academic experience is expected. The academic community does not tolerate any form of “cheating”, the dishonest use of assistance in the preparation of outside or in-class assignments. The principles of academic honesty are violated when a student gives or accepts aid in any graded work. Any attempt to present someone else’s work as one’s own on quizzes, examinations, reports, or term papers constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism also includes verbal, written, or graphic presentation of borrowed material without citing its source. Any violation of this policy will result in course failure. Professor utilizes a plagiarism software to identify any misconduct. For this reason, in addition to printed copy, all projects must be submitted as MS-word files via e-mail to the professor. Failure to submit a full document will result in no grade for project.

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR & ETIQUETTE: The classroom is a professional learning environment, and students’ in-class behaviors should reflect this. Intrusive classroom exits and entrances are rude, disruptive and discouraged. Students are expected to be attentive to and engaged in instructor lectures, class discussions, case analyses and other learning activities. The in-class use of laptop computers and other electronic devices (e.c., cellphones, tablets, etc.,) diminishes users’ attention levels and it also tends to distract and annoy their classmates. Consequently, these are not to be used in the classroom, except at the instructor’s direction. Violation of this policy may result in dismissal from class (first offense); dismissal from course (second offense).

All e-mails sent to the professor must include student name and course title as well as the section number. E-mails must be brief and to the point. If you have an issue that will take more than a few lines to explain in an e-mail, I would suggest seeing me in person. I will respond to all e-mails within 48 hours. You must use your UMass Dartmouth e-mail account to send me e-mails.

CASE ANALYSIS: Each student will be assigned to a case analysis team. They will be required to prepare case analysis and present it to the class. The team will have 20minutes to provide the class the salient facts, their analysis of the situation, and their recommendations for action. All other teams must read the cases and post their comments as a team to mycourses site on the discussion area 48 hours before the class starts. The team presenting a case study do not need to post any comments, but will read the postings and include a summary into their presentation. Students are also encouraged to discuss issues in the cases by responding to other teams’ comments and vice versa. The team presenting a case must conduct external research and support their findings / recommendations with data. THE CASES ARE IN THE TEXTBOOK AT THE END OF EACH CHAPTER.

GRADING SYSTEM:
Test 1………………                30 %
Test 2 ……………..                30 %
Research Project …..             25 %
Cases…………………….         15 %
TOTAL…………………….      100 %

• IMPORTANT NOTES:
  Grades will be based on the above system.
• Students are expected to attend classes regularly, and be prepared to discuss the assigned material. Each student must have read the assigned chapters and cases upon arriving class.
• All written assignments and the research project must be typed written (double spaced) using 12 point times roman font.
• Students must refer to the tentative schedule for assignments
• No make-up exams will be given!

 

 

DATE	ASSIGNMENT
JANUARY 2018 24	CH1 Buying, Having, and Being: An Introduction to Consumer Behavior CASE 1 (end of chapter 1)
31	CH-2 Consumer and Social Well-Being CASE 2CH-3. Perception CASE 3
FEBRUARY 7	CH-4. Learning and Memory CASE 4
14	CH-5 Motivation and Affect CASE 5
21	CH-6 The Self: Mind, Gender, and Body CASE 6CH-7 Personality, Lifestyles, and Values CASE 7
28	TEST 1 PROJECT DISCUSSIONS
MARCH 7	CH-8 Attitudes and Persuasive Communications CASE 8
14	SPRING BREAK
21	CH-9 Decision Making CASE 9
28	CH-11 Groups and Social Media CASE 11
APRIL 4	CH-12 Income and Social Class CASE 12 CH-13 Subcultures CASE 13
11	CH-14 Culture CASE 14
18	Group Presentations – All written reports are due
25	TEST 2

 

RESEARCH PROJECT:

The general aim of the research project is “learning by doing.” More specifically, the objectives of the research project include:

1) To gain skill in and appreciation of the definition problems, the generating and testing of solutions, designing the research, and integrating these steps to form a coherent project.

2) To appreciate the nature, functions and difficulties inherent in selected marketing research techniques in understanding consumer behavior.

3) To examine critically and to evaluate the data gathered and the methods employed provided that the project includes primary data. Critical thinking is also strongly encouraged for evaluation of secondary data or literature.

4) To know what it means to draw sharp conclusions, identify the limitations in data, apply them to the chosen problem and communicate findings effectively.

5) To appreciate the needs for careful organization, coordination, and dependability of each project team member.

Having the above objectives in mind, each student is to select a specific topic dealing with consumer behavior. The project topic must be approved by the instructor to ensure that a manageable and substantive area of consumer behavior is being researched.

Each project must be typed using 12 point times roman font (double spaced), and professionally presented to the class. The project should be around 15-25 pages including the literature review and data analysis results if primary data sources are used. All sources of literature should be referenced using the Journal of Marketing referencing style. Failure to reference will be a cause for plagiarism per UMASSD student hand-book. There are two approaches to completing the research project: 1) Literature review – gather relevant literature on a topic of interest and integrate the previous research findings discussing similarities and differences, and then drawing overall conclusions; 2) Conducting empirical research by following the following steps:

I- Give a brief history of the topic–literature review which includes theories, and related studies in the area being research

II- Define the problem–be very specific–justify the study– Develop Hypotheses

III- Define data gathering techniques (METHODOLOGY) to test the hypotheses.

a) Primary Data: questionnaires, observation, experimental design, indepth interviews, or focus group interviews.

Consider questionnaire design, measurement techniques and sampling design (probability sampling–random sampling, systematic sampling, area sampling, etc.,)
b) Secondary data: Library

IV- Gather data — field work including library and interviews etc.

V- Process data–coding and data entry into computer or calculator!

VI- Analyze data—use appropriate statistical techniques such as frequencies, cross- tabulations, t-tests, ANOVA, Regression or other relevant techniques.

VII- Write results by using tables and graphs, etc.

VIII-Discuss the limitations of your research

IX- Write conclusions

X- Suggest Future Research

SOME GOOD LITERATURE AND DATA SOURCES:

UMASS DARTMOUTH ELECTRONIC LIBRARY – ABI INFORM-Proquest Global, EBSCO, and MINTEL (mostly industry data)