Course Resources Archive

An understanding of customers and consumption is central to marketing. In this module we will be exploring why customers buy and consume brands (in all their diversity) and the meanings of these brands in their lives. We will also be examining organisational behaviour — including the influence of stakeholders on organisational decision-making and inter-organisational relationships. We will be relating our conclusions to marketing and marketing communications.

A wide range of issues are explored within this module, including:

1. Attitudes, values and beliefs
2. Brand consumption
3. Consumer activism
4. Consumer motivation and desire
5. Consumerism and marketing
6. Customer decision-making
7. Customer segmentation
8. Ethics, sustainability and marketing
9. Culture, lifestyles and consumption
10. Group influences and opinion leadership
11. Inter-organisational relationships
12. Organisational buying behaviour
13. Self-identity and symbolic consumption
14. The purchase environment and shopping behaviour

A student passing this module should be able to:

1. Appreciate the relationships between marketing, consumption and customer behaviour.
2. Be cognisant of the ethical controversies surrounding consumption.
3. Understand the significance of brands to customers' lives.
4. Appreciate the key influences on customers and their behaviour.
5. Be aware of the influences of stakeholders and inter-organisational relationships on organisational behaviour.
6. Comprehend the theories explaining customer and organisational behaviour and understand how they can be used to inform marketing practice.

The Library Catalogue contains full details of the current reading list for this module. Further details may also be found in the Module Guide.