Consumer Buying Behaviour

By Prof. Ashish Hathi | L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research

This course "Consumer Buyer Behaviour" is from Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research Its a 4 Credit Course.
Consumer behaviour represents the behavioural context in which consumers operate while searching for, purchasing, using, evaluating and disposing of products and services that they expect will satisfy their needs. It covers both aspects namely to buy or not to buy, to use or not to use. All these happen within the context of their behavioural reference.
Consumer behaviour study focuses to understand the way individuals decide, how individuals make decisions to spend their available scarce resources (like money, time and energy) on the chosen item for consumption.
Such insights help marketers to develop a new product, position it correctly and develop appropriate promotional strategies.During consumer behaviour understanding, marketers try to find an answer to the numerous questions like why they must buy, besides how, when, from where they will buy and how often they may buy.
This course will help participants to develop an ability to unlock the mind (the black box) which shapes his needs, motives, personality, attitude, perception and other aspects shaping his behaviour including buying behaviour. Learning will be equally relevant in today’s digital world. Post learning, participants will be better prepared to various marketing problems but also identify opportunities to grow in today’s growing competitive business.
At the end of the course, students will be able to:

Explain what consumer behaviour is, its nature and classificationDescribe the importance of consumer behaviour and the forces that drive change in it.Understand better ways to segment, needs and motivation dynamicsDecode how personality, perception and attitude shape buying behaviourApply research methodologies involved in data collection & analysis for both consumer research – quantitative & qualitativeKnow everything about the diffusion and Adoption of New Products & Consumer Decision MakingApply learning in their strategic marketing initiatives

COURSE LAYOUT

Week 1: Consumer Behavior Knowledge

• Introduction / Importance of Consumer Behaviour
• "Forces that Drive the Change in Consumer Behaviour”
• The Application of Consumer Buying Behaviour Principles to Strategic Marketing
• The Role of Consumer Behaviour on Strategic Planning
• Consumer Scene in India

Week 2: Market Segmentation

• Market Segmentation / Benefits of Segmentation
• Limitations of Segmentation / Bases for Segmentation
• Criteria for Effective Targeting of Market Segments / Implementing Segmentation Strategies

Week 3: Consumer Research

• Consumer Research Process
• Conducting Segmentation Research Study
• Development of Motivational Research
• Methods in Psychology (For Motivation and Other Psychological Aspects to be Probed)

Week 4: Consumer Need & Motivation

• Constantly Evolving Needs and Goals
• Arousal of Motives
• Types and System of Needs

Week 5: Personality and Consumer Behaviour

• Personality Characteristics
• Personality Theories
• Personality and Consumer Behaviour
• Brand Personality

Week 6: Consumer Psychographics and Perception

• Understanding Psychographics / Application of Psychographic Analysis
• Psychographic Consumer Segmentation Research: SRI VALS Program
• Consumer Perception / Perceptual Mechanism
• Store Image

Week 7: The Nature of Consumer Attitudes and Change

• What are Attitudes?
• Components of Attitude
• Learning Process

Week 8: Diffusion and Adoption of New Products & Consumer Decision Making

• The Diffusion Process
• The Adoption Process
• A Profile of the Consumer Innovator
• Four Views of Consumer Decision Making
• The Consumer Decision Making Process
• Types of Purchase Decision Behaviours
• Model of Buyer Behaviour
• Post Purchase Behaviour
• Relationship Marketing

Week 9: Consumer Protection in India

• Consumers Need Protection – Why?
• Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI)
• Rights of Consumers
• Consumer Movement
• Consumerism and Consumers’ Rights and Responsibilities
• Business Malpractices
• Legislative Regulations
• Consumer Protection Councils and Consumer Education

Week 10: Consumer Buyer Behaviour in Different Marketing Domains

• Consumer Buyer Behaviour in Service Marketing
• Consumer Buyer Behaviour in Business to Business Association