| Unit name | Understanding Customers, Consumers and Markets |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EFIMM0058 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Emma Slade |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why Is This Unit Important?
Understanding customers, consumers and markets is an essential part of the marketing process and function. This core unit equips students with the knowledge and skills to analyse markets and recognise the range of actors within them. It encourages students to distinguish between the concepts of customers and consumers, evaluate a range of approaches to consumption, and explore the different ways in which ‘markets’ can be defined and understood. The unit is important because understanding consumer behaviour forms the foundation that allow organisations to connect with consumers. It also equip students with the critical skills to reflect on their experience as consumers.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is a mandatory unit for students on the MSc Marketing programme. This unit provides foundational knowledge for understanding consumer behaviour, which students will then build on in subsequent units
An overview of content
The unit will draw on a range of disciplines from psychology and behavioural economics to sociology and anthropology. Students will be introduced to theories to analyse the different ways consumers behave across a range of contexts, within and beyond markets. Students are then required to reflect critically on the relationships between markets, marketing and consumption. Particularly, students will learn psychological theories (such as attitude, self-concept, learning and memory) as well as cultural and sociological theories (such as rituals, consumer acculturation, practice theory).
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
On completion of this unit, you will be able to reflect on your experience as a consumer and how your interaction with the marketplace can be analysed using different perspectives of consumer behaviour. You will be able to exercise critical thinking and writing as well as apply theories drawn from different social science disciplines to understand various consumption contexts.
Your learning on this unit
On completion of this unit, students will be able to:
ILO 1: Consider and distinguish between a range of approaches to the concepts of customers, consumers and markets.
ILO 2: Analyse a given market environment and appraise the range of factors that might affect the behaviour of actors within it.
ILO 3: Demonstrate an appreciation of how an understanding of customers, consumers and markets contribute to effective marketing practice.
ILO 4: Critically assess the ethical issues associated with marketing practice, its role in the organization of markets, and its influence on the behaviour of consumers and customers.
The unit will be taught through a combination of synchronous teaching and structured learning, in a regular weekly pattern. Students will be encouraged to work on guided tasks (e.g. reflective exercises, case studies) and consult weekly readings recommended in the resource list as part of their independent learning.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
There is an opportunity to submit one practice reflective writing task (400 words). Other tasks such as discussion board entries also help students to prepare for the summative assessment.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
You will submit a single individual assessment in the form of a 3000 word portfolio incorporating several reflective writing tasks (100%) [ILOs 1-4].
When assessment does not go to plan:
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, failed components will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis. Reassessment requires submission of a single individual 3000 word portfolio incorporating several reflective writing tasks (100%) [ILOs 1-4]. These tasks will be different to those set in the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EFIMM0058).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
