Yuan Ze University

Yuan Ze University
Master of Business Administration Program, College of Management
Consumer Behavior
Department

Course
code

Class

Credit

Course
Name

Instructor

Academic
Year

Semester

Master of Business
Administration
Program, College of
Management

CM53
9

Consumer
Behavior

Etta Yan-I
Chen

2015

Fall

Instructor

Office Number

Etta Yan-I Chen

60607

Email

ettachen@saturn.yzu.edu.tw

Phone Number

ext. 2693

Course schedule (for reference only, subject to change)

This is an advanced marketing course which aims to make students understand
1.Course
consumers consumption behavior, motivation and purposes. In a consumer-oriented
Description
marketing, marketers must completely understand what behinds consumers behavior and
its meanings. The goal of this course is to deliver those important theories and
perspectives regarding to consumption behavior, motivation and purposes. Since
consumer behavior is a discipline that integrates psychology, sociology or anthropology
etc., students will learn the related theories in order to have a more comprehensive
knowledge of consumers responses and behaviors while they conduct marketing
practices. The topics include consumer as an individual, consumers in their social and
cultural settings, and consumers decision-making process and ethical dimensions.
Marketing Management
2.Pre-requisite
This course proceeds mainly by discussion. The teacher leads the discussion of important
3.Teaching
concepts and provides interesting real life or business examples. Thus, all participants are
Approach
required to preview before class to achieve good learning effects. Besides, courses are
mixed with presentation, case discussion as well as term paper coaching
Note: Please keep update with the latest news in the virtual classroom
*Group Term Project
3 to 4 people as a group select an interesting and unique consumer behavior as your
topic. Try to apply the concepts we learn in class to present your topic. Meanwhile, you
also propose your perspective and insight by analyzing this consumer behavior. The
formats should include written report, a proposal board with image/photos and any other
creative presentation style (e.g. shooting short film). By incorporating related theories
learned from the textbook, try to enhance the report quality via your interpretation.
Note1: Evaluation criteria include content (innovativeness, completeness and theories
applied), creativity and teamwork.
Note2: Each work should identify the contribution of each member, and ask for all
signatures before hanging your report.
*Individual reading article/paper review
For the week of assigning article/paper, after the teacher arrival, every student is required
to hand in individual homework of the assigned article and paper. Reading academics
papers take time for practice. This practice benefits your forthcoming thesis work. The
article is selected from the media report of the original research paper. You have to read
both articles and papers. Start the reading from the article and try to understand the key
points of original research paper. The individual review in your homework should
include one page summary of main idea in the paper and answer the questions put below
in this syllabus. These materials will be discussed in class. Everybody should read and
prepare beforehand.
*Group chapter/paper brief
Group in charge a particular chapter or reading article gives us an up to 15 min brief of
chapter or article overview (including paper) before the teacher leads the discussion. This

is the training for master students capability to self digest the knowledge and to enhance
the comprehensive ability of reading papers via giving examples. In this short
presentation, the presenter should provide the audience interesting real-life examples to
enhance our understanding important concepts. Group uploads the presentation material
in section of learning and discussion for classmates to refer after class.

Article lists & Discussion Questions

#1. Cuturally symbolic products: Would you buy a Sony cappuccino maker? From
Torelli, Carlos J. and Rohini Ahluwalia (2012), Extending Culturally Symbolic Brands:
A Blessing or a Curse? Journal of Consumer Research, 38(5), 933-47.
Q1: Out of the examples in paper, could you think at least three brands in different
product categories that can activate cultural schema? And why?
Q2: Following Q1, what are the relevant concepts activated in your mind while you think
about those brands.
Q3: Following Q1, Any brand extension of those brands (not to be real case) you would
perceive incongruent with cultural schema? And why?
#2. Can a Victorias secret shopping bag make you feel glamorous? From Park, Ji Kyung
and Deborah Roedder John (2010), Got to Get You Into My Life: Do Brand
Personalities Rub Off on Consumers? Journal of Consumer Research, 37(4), 655-69.
Q1: According to the paper, are you a believer of incremental theory or entity theory?
And Why? Provide a real life example.
Q2: Could you name at least three brands with personality? And what are their
personalities? Use some words to describe. And any brand communications deliver these
personalities?
Q3: Any brand personality fitting with yours that is a signal to other people? Please give
one example and explain why?

#3. Im sticking with my brand: loyal customers perceive competitor ads differently.
From
Raju, Sekar H., Rao Unnava and Nicole Votolato Montgomery (2009), The Effect of
Brand Commitment on the Evaluation of Nonpreferred Brands: A Disconfirmation
Process, Journal of Consumer Research, 35(5), 851-63.
Q1: Give one brand example that you are sticking with and the reason why you love this
brand?
Q2: Extend from Q1, give one competitors brand example that you do not prefer and the
reason why?
Q3: Think about any real life examples from your friends or family that they selected
biased information to defend for their preference for the committed product.
#4. Eating or spending too much? Blame it on facebook. From Wilcox, Keith and
Andrew T. Stephen (2013), Are Close Friends the Enemy? Online Social Networks,
Self-Esteem, and Self-Control, Journal of Consumer Research, (-n.a.-), p. 000. Article
DOI: 10.1086/668794Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/668794 (optional
reading paper for ch11)
*Course Principle & Rules (Last but most important)
About being on time and personal responsibility, please especially note.
1.
All reports should hand in at the first class of assigned week, right after the
teachers arrival and before the class starts. Before the midnight of class day, please also
upload one electronic file to the homework assignment for AACSB requirement.
2.
Please be present in the classroom on time. Absence is acceptable only by
informing the teacher in advance with school formal documents of official leave or
medical proof of sick leave in one week.
Please refer to portal course material section

4.Handout
Course Reading
No. Reading
Languag
Type
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Material
Type

Title

Course schedule(for reference only,subject to change

Course Schedule Content
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Libary Link

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Mar. 7 Course introduction

Group building
Mar. 14 Ch2 Perception

Group list and takes brief weeks (from next week)

Assignment: perception and product placement (every group, please

prepare and shares video of successful product placement from TV or movie in
class)
Mar. 21 Ch3 Learning and Memory
Mar. 28 No class (for MBA oversea study)
Apr. 4 Spring break (no class)
Apr. 11 Ch4 Motivation and Value
Apr. 18 Reading Article #1
Apr. 25 Ch5 The Self
May 2 1st Group term paper presentation: idea sharing and literature review
(oral plus written report)
May 9 Ch6 Personality and lifestyles
May 16 Reading Article #2
May 23 Ch7 Attitudes and Persuasion
May 30 Ch8 Decision Making
Jun. 6 Reading article #3
Jun. 13 Ch11 Group and Social Media
(article #4, just read this article for discussion)
Jun. 20 Term paper presentation (oral plus written report)
Jun. 27 Final-term exam

Grading (for reference only,subject to change

Def
ault
Ite
ms
Item
NO.

Item Name

1
2
3
4

Homework
In-class
Midterm
Final Exam

Midterm
assessment
percentage
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Final grade
percentage

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assessment
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0%
100%

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percentage

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0%
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Self
defi
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Item
NO.

Item Name

1
2
3
4

Individual reading article/paper review

Final-term exam (open book)
Group term paper & group presentation
Course participation (Discussion, attendance and
involvement)

20%
30%
30%
20%