Unit Outline

As consumers, we live in a constantly changing world, driven by fast-paced technological, social, cultural and economic developments, resulting in access to a wide array of new products and services. These rapidly changing social and market factors significantly affect our behaviours and purchase decisions. Consumer behaviour will continue to change over the next decade and will affect our consumption choices. For marketers, understanding how consumers behave helps them to identify and offer products and services that better satisfy consumers’ needs. The focus of this unit is on providing you with a comprehensive introduction to theories and models that help explain consumer behaviour in different consumption contexts. The unit will help you to develop knowledge about the steps in the consumer decision-making process, and the internal and external factors (individual, social, and cultural) that influence consumers’ evaluation of marketing messages and subsequent purchase decisions. The unit will assist with your conceptual and theoretical learning of how nuances in consumer behaviour impact consumer decision making. The unit will help you to develop skills that enable the application of consumer behaviour knowledge to marketing strategy and tactics.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Explain the fundamental concepts and theories of consumer behaviour.
2	Describe factors that influence both sustainable and non-sustainable consumer behaviour.
3	Apply the knowledge of consumer behaviour in practice.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

To be determined.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Workshop assessment activities	See the MyLO site for the due date	25 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 2:	Online tests	Week 4	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Video lecture presentation and report	Week 9	35 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Workshop assessment activities

Task Description:

This assessment task involves participating in in-class activities. It aims to enable you to identify and apply consumer behaviour concepts and theories to various marketing contexts.

Workshop assessment activities are divided into two parts:

Activity 1: Presentation (20%)

The student will be allocated a topic in the first workshop. Students are expected to research topic-related theories and practices, utilise various resources, and identify the insight or provide solutions for firms operating in both sustainable and non-sustainable market contexts. The student will deliver a 10-minute presentation including class discussion of that topic.

A summary report will accompany the presentation and be submitted online before the presentation. Assessment requirements and marking criteria will be discussed in the first workshop and posted on MyLO.

Distance students will complete this activity in the same scheduled online workshops, OR arrange with the Unit Coordinator for an alternative delivery format. Note: To deliver presentations in the online workshop, students will need internet access, web camera, head-sets, and a microphone.

Activity 2: Class contribution (5%)

You must actively participate and contribute workshop activities. You will be required to complete a range of tasks, including discussion topics, debate, case study analysis, scenario based activities and skill development activities. Completed tasks will be presented for discussion during the workshop.

Distance students will complete this activity in the same scheduled online workshops, OR arrange with the Unit Coordinator for an alternative format.

Details of the assessment will be provided on MyLO and will be discussed during the workshops.

Task Length:

Activity 1: 10 minutes Activity 2: In-class during task discussions

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Understand and explain consumer behaviour concepts and theories	LO1, LO2
2	Identify and apply relevant consumer behaviour concepts and theories to both sustainable and non-sustainable marketing contexts	LO1, LO3
3	Develop skills for working in collaborative team environments	LO1, LO3

Assessment Task 2: Online tests

Task Description:

Assessment 2 is an individual assignment. Students will take an online test designed to assess their knowledge and application of key concepts and theories covered in the recorded lectures and textbook chapters. The online test will be available on MyLO commencing in Week 4.

The tests are open-book. These are self-marking tests, and students will know their results the following week.

More details about this assessment item and the time at which it is released will be provided on the MyLO site.

Task Length:

15 minutes each test

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Understand and explain consumer behaviour concepts and theories	LO1, LO2
2	Identify and apply relevant consumer behaviour concepts and theories to various marketing contexts	LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 3: Video lecture presentation and report

Task Description:

This assessment consists of a group video project and an individual report. Student groups will create a video about one of the week’s lecture topics. To accomplish this, the group will complete Task 1 Video Presentation. Individual student will complete their own report Task 2 based on the project.

Task 1: Video presentation (10%).

(a) The group will undertake independent desk research of academic research articles and select one interesting study that will help supplement the learning from the lecture topic. This task should be completed by the end of Week 4. (b) Students will also add a real world example of an aspect of Consumer Behaviour theory from the related week’s lecture and chapter.

Note: The video should be no more than 5 minutes long. The video must be submitted on MyLO by the end of Week 9.

Peer Evaluation: students may choose to evaluate the contributions of their group members using a Peer Evaluation form on the MyLO site. The adjustment of individual marks from the group mean is based on peer evaluation of your performance and contribution to group work.

Task 2: Written report (25%)
Following the video presentation, students will submit a short written report to the assignment box in MyLO.

A detailed video project information guide including marking criteria for the video presentation and written report will be provided on MyLO.

Task Length:

Video length: 5 minutes Individual written report: 1,500 words ± 10%, excluding reference list and appendices.

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Understand and explain consumer behaviour concepts and theories	LO1, LO2
2	Identify and apply relevant consumer behaviour concepts and theories to both sustainable and non-sustainable marketing contexts	LO1, LO3
3	Develop skills for working in collaborative team environments	LO1, LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

You will need the following text: Quester, P., Pettigrew, S., Kopanidis, F., Rao Hill, S. & Hawkins, D., 2014, Consumer Behaviour: implications for marketing strategy, 7th ed, McGraw-Hill, North Ryde NSW.