Decision-Making Process, - Consumer Behavioural Theories and Concepts

Test Specification Table

Individual Assignment (60%)

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

This is an individual assignment. This assignment will carry 60% of your module marks.

Students should be able to:

1. Identify the decision-making process by which consumers arrive at purchase decisions. Apply relevant theories and concepts to business scenarios.

1. Integrate the relevant consumer behavioural theories and concepts to design effective marketing strategies.

You will be assessed at 100% for this individual assignment and the marks will be weighted at 60% for the overall marks of this module.

Introduction

According to the list of topics given below, and using sources such as academic journals, Fortune, Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, etc., you are to select a “real world” marketing or current consumer behaviour related issue that interests you. It could also be an organisation or company that interest you. You should also emphasise under what area the problem or focus is and make sure the issue addresses a specific topic or a specific area. For example, you may choose a topic related to middle-class consumers and look at a specific issue such as “Prestige Goods and Ostentatious Consumption” or “Consumer Motivation and the Phenomenon of Middle Aged Harley Bikers”.

Some examples of consumer behavior issues include: (1) How Do Marketers Shape Young Consumers' Self Concept?, (2) Which Type of Consumers Collect Certain Products? (e.g. Antique Cars), (3) Understanding the Psychology and Consumption Behaviour of Malaysians and (5) Experiential Marketing and Appealing to Consumers' Senses.

You should then analyse, evaluate, and critique the marketing issue in terms of the concepts and theories we have covered in class. Then, you are to provide your recommendations.

The aim is to analyse the consumer behaviour inherent in some real-world situations and develop marketing recommendations based on that analysis.

List of Topics

1. A Comparative Analysis of the Buying Habits Between Men and Women
2. Green Marketing
3. Impact of Experiential Marketing on Consumer Behaviour
4. Understanding the Digitally Connected Generation Z Consumers
5. The Rise in Social Responsibility
6. Growing Reliance on Smart Devices
7. Cultural Diversity and Consumer Behaviour: Highlighting the Impact and Major Concerns
8. Compulsive Consumption
9. The New Market Influencers
10. The Balance between Digital and Physical Shopping Experiences.
    

1. Introduction

Provide a background of the topic and explain the purpose of the study.

1. Consumer Behaviour Issues/Problem

You should identify ONE specific consumer behaviour issue that is relevant to the marketing topic you have chosen. It is important to be quite specific in your problem definition (e.g., Are the issues related to consumer attitudes, cognitive decision making, or perception?).

1. Consumer Analysis and Applications of Relevant Theories

The heart of your project is your creative analysis of the basic consumer behaviour issues involved in your marketing problem. You should identify and apply any THREE (3) relevant concepts, models, and theories discussed during the semester (e.g. perception, decision-making, learning, motivation, attitude formation, social influences, etc.). By using these concepts; study, understand and explain the issues you are focused on.

1. Marketing Recommendations

Be sure to discuss the marketing recommendations that you would make based on your analysis of relevant consumer behaviour phenomena. For instance, how would you package your product in a way that maximises impact given what you know about attention and perception? How would you promote your product given the level of involvement your target market has in your product and the decision-making process your target consumers follow? How should companies change their marketing strategies to improve product positioning, enhance the consumer experience with the product, and enhance their level of satisfaction?

1. Conclusions and Marketing Implications

Conclude by considering the implications of your analysis, discussion or recommendations for marketers and consumers. What does your recommendation imply, or involve, or suggest? For example, your recommendations may be unconventional and require further research by others. The conclusion might make a new but related point that the ideas, on the whole, suggest that such an integration is (or isn't) possible for the problem identified. Avoid summarising your research paper.

You will be evaluated on your choice of consumer behaviour issues being relevant to the marketing problem, the use of specific concepts from the textbook and class discussions, and the strategies that you recommend. Assume that the audience for your paper has read the textbook and other readings for this module and attended the class lectures/discussions.

Submission of the Assignment

1. It will be an online submission.
2. References of any materials in electronic format need to be attached with your written assignment.
3. Late submission will require students to submit an extenuating circumstance (EC) to the academic board for deliberation.
   

Marks allocation

Requirements

The assignment must adhere to the academic documentation standards.

Style

• You are to write the citations and references following the Harvard Referencing Style.
• You are required to use Times New Roman as the font type
• Your headings and subheadings need to be presented in font size 16 and font size 14 Other writing will be in font size 12.
• Vertical/line spacing is to be 5 line spacing.
• You are required to provide page numbers to your pages.
• You need to provide line spacing between paragraphs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to provide quality work, you should not limit your references to only web sources. Your writing should include references to academic journal (electronic or non-electronic) and special report.

Assignment Structure

Your document should incorporate the following items:

• A cover page
• Table of contents
• Content (with proper headings and subheadings)
• References
• Appendix optional)
  

Documentation Requirements

Cover Page

The assignment cover page should contain information as stated below in order:

• APU Logo
• Assignment Description (Individual Assignment)
• Assignment Title (follow the title stated in the question)
• Student Name
• Student Id No.
• Module Name and Code
• Lecturer Name
• Intake Number
• Submission Date
• Word Count

Originality

You must use enough of your own words to convince that you understand what you are writing. There must be evidence of originality in your writing reflected by the effort of paraphrasing and the use of own personal expression in your analysis and evaluation. You should not submit a “copy and paste” work as you may only be awarded at most a PASS even though proper citations and references are given.

Quantity versus Quality

You must ensure that your writing is clear and concise as quantity does not always guarantee quality. Therefore, you should not expect that by writing more will enable you to get a high mark unless the information is presented with clarity and relevance with a high degree of analysis and evaluation.

Assignment Performance Criteria

Marks are awarded based on the following criteria:

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