| Unit name | Consumption and Consumer Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EFIM20046 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Lai |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one | |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Understanding consumption and consumer behaviour is an essential part of the marketing process and key to the long-term success of any organisation. The study of consumption and consumer behaviour focuses on the processes through which individuals or groups acquire, use and dispose of products, services or experiences. This unit aims to explore a range of approaches to consumption and consumer behaviour, encouraging students to critically evaluate their relative merits. Accordingly, insights will be drawn from a range of disciplines including psychology and economics, STS (Science and Technology Studies) and sociology, and cultural theory and anthropology. In addition to exploring the significance of consumer behaviour for commercial organisations, this unit aims to demonstrate how consumption is positioned as both a problem for and solution to a number of contemporary social and policy challenges. These include public health, gambling, debt, trade justice and environmental sustainability. Students are thus required to consider the implications of differing and complementary insights into consumption for practical efforts to change consumer behaviour.
Students should be able to:
ILO1: Distinguish between and critically evaluate a range of approaches to consumption and consumer behaviour
ILO2: Demonstrate an appreciation of how understandings of consumption and consumer behaviour contribute to effective marketing practice.
ILO3: Critically appraise the emphasis that is placed on consumption and consumer behaviour in contemporary policy debates
ILO4: Devise a social marketing or behaviour change campaign that makes credible recommendations in response to a given social or policy challenge
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions including lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, discussion boards and other online learning opportunities.
Assessment on this unit is comprised of two components: A timed open book assessment assessing students' understanding of key concepts encountered across the course and their application to marketing practice - 50% of the unit mark. (ILO1, ILO2)
A 2,000 word 'policy brief' in which students will research a social or policy challenge of their own choosing. In it they will: i) outline the ways in which consumption and consumer behaviour are framed and interpreted, and ii) draw on insights into consumption to make practical recommendations for behaviour change - 50% of the unit mark. (ILO3, ILO4)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIM20046).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
