BUSMGT 752 Understanding Consumers - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

Explores the consumer perspective in marketing with an overview of the theories that explain consumption and the research methods that generate insights that firms can use.

Course Overview

This course explores the fundamentals of consumer research, market research, and the generation of consumer insights for marketing management. Firstly, the course emphasizes how to interpret consumer activities to transform them into insights that firms can implement in marketing, for example, in advertising campaigns. Secondly, it involves the basic principles and application of market research, by providing an overview of the terminology and most common techniques in market research. Thirdly, the course will deliver an overview of theories in consumer research, including psychology’s consumer behavior, sociology’s consumer tribes/communities and semiotics’ symbolic action.

By the end of the course you will develop an understanding of consumers through the application of theoretical concepts and fieldwork techniques. You will learn how market research informs decision-making in marketing, and how to generate consumer insights from fieldwork findings. You will be introduced to a wide range of approaches without going in-depth in any particular technique. The goal is that you develop the capacity to use market research as a marketing manager.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: BUSMGT 711-714 with at least a B– average

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Determine and justify the appropriate use of market research techniques to support decision making in marketing management (Capability 3)
Use fieldwork data meaningfully to develop viable consumer insights. (Capability 1)
Appraise and review distinct consumer research frameworks in relation to marketing management work (Capability 1)
Critically interpret market research findings into consumer insights that could be utilized by business. (Capability 2)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Group project	30%	Group Coursework
Critical essays	30%	Individual Coursework
Final Test	40%	Individual Test
3 types	100%

Assessment Type	Learning Outcome Addressed
	1	2	3	4
Group project
Critical essays
Final Test

The students will have an opportunity to work on critical essay in class and in week 2 and receive feedback.

Workload Expectations

Each point in a course offering is equal to 10 hours of learning, therefore it is expected that you will do 150 hours of -learning over the course of the Quarter. Class time will be used for lectures, discussions, problem solving, group work, and for feedback from online quizzes/assessments. In addition to attending classes, students should be prepared to spend another ten hours per week on activities related to this course. These activities include working through required readings, case studies, problem solving and preparing assessments.
150 hours learning over a single quarter includes:
-   15 hours Plenary
-   20 hours Tutorial
-   20 hours Team Based Learning (TBL)
-    40 hours group work
-    55 hours preparatory reading and self-study

Students are strongly encouraged to seek assistance from the Business Communications Team (BCT) 48 hours prior to the submission date.

Learning Resources

There is no textbook for this course. All the course readings will be available via Reading Lists under each module on the Canvas page or in the Reading List module on Canvas.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Following the feedback from students and discussions with academic colleagues, the number of assessments has been reduced.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Capability 1:	Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2:	Critical Thinking
Capability 3:	Solution Seeking

BUSMGT 752 : Understanding Consumers

Business and Economics

2020 Quarter One (1202) (15 POINTS)