Students are expected to have basic knowledge of marketing

Consumer Behaviour aims at providing students with a better understanding of basic consumer buying behaviour in order to be able to describe, explain, and predict how consumers will behave under various marketing conditions and actions. KNOWLEDGE: 1. Define consumer behavior and describe the contents of consumer behavior considered as a field of study. 2. Learn the influence of factors, which influence consumer decision making at different stages of its process. 3. Learn the process of perception and how it translates into marketing communication strategies. 4. Understand how self-concept influences consumer behavior. 5. Understand different time of learning and how each can be used in marketing communication. 6. Understand the process of attitude formation and factors, which influence attitude on each of the stages. 7. Understand the process of individual decision-making. 8. Understand the power of social and groups influence as well as its types and forms. Learning six ¿weapons¿ of social influence, and how these can be used in marketing. 9. Understand the importance of culture in consumer behavior. 10. Understand the role of digitalization in business decision making SKILLS: 10. Develop the ability to critically read academic papers in consumer behavior, reflect on them and apply to real marketing situations. 11. Develop the ability to come up with own ideas based on leading academic papers and being able to support them with rigorous arguments. 12. Develop teamwork skills and learn to use techniques that optimize group decision-making. 13. Develop the ability to lead and motivate others.

Consumers and their needs are at the core of marketing. The past decades have witnessed a shift from a mere sales- and product-oriented approach (whereby marketing was a matter of pushing already existing product lines and creating awareness for those products) to a consumer-oriented approach (whereby products fit identified needs of well-delineated consumer segments, i.e. products need to be positioned). In order to be able to anticipate today's rapid changes in consumers' motives and needs, a decent understanding of the underlying mechanisms is a sine qua non. The objective of this course is to introduce the student to the principles of consumer behaviour. We start from formal theories and concepts and discuss their usefulness in developing effective marketing strategies in nowadays world with a great importance of digital technologies. Most sessions will be organised around the consumer's purchase decision process, consisting of Need Arousal, Information Search and Processing, Brand Evaluation and Attitude Development, Purchase, Consumption and Postpurchase Evaluation. Other sessions address specific consumer-specific or environmental variables that affect this decision process. This course aims at providing students with a better understanding of consumer buying behaviour in order to be able to describe, explain, and predict how consumers will behave under various marketing conditions and actions. Program: 1. Introduction to Consumer Behavior and Perception 2. The Self & Motivation 3. Attitude Formation and Persuasion 4. Social Influence and Context effects 5. Cultural Influence; Question and answer session

Lectures (7.5 hours) Practical classes (7.5 hours) Group & Individual work TEACHING METHODOLOGIES Lectures & Feedback: Class lectures will provide elaborate discussion on the main concepts of the subject, accompanying relevant examples, case studies, and bibliographies to complement students' learning, with the support of technologies and audiovisuals. Students are expected to interact proactively during lectures. The professor will provide feedback on homework and activities done during practical classes, individually or in groups throughout the course. Homework & Practical Class Activities: Critical reading of texts recommended by the professor of the subject will include press articles, reports, and academic research papers, to aid discussion in class and to expand and consolidate the knowledge of the subject. Students will present how their prior work experience could be done differently, knowing the content of the course as well as research articles each week. Each group of students will also be required to come up with an idea for a project relevant to consumer behavior and present it throughout the course.