UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN (UTAR)

FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE (FBF)

Unit Plan
1. Unit Code &
Unit Title:

UBTC2013 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

2. Course of
Study:

Bachelor of Marketing (Hons)

Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons)
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) Entrepreneurship
Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Advertising

3. Year of
Study:

Varies

4. Year and
Semester:

201501

5. Credit Hour

3 credit hours

6. Lecturing
hours and
Tutoring
hours

2 hours lecture per week for the duration of 14 weeks

1 hour tutorial per week for the duration of 14 weeks

7. Lecturer:

Ms. Yip Yen San, MBA(Marketing) Hons, BBA(Management) Hons

(yipys@utar.edu.my)

8. Tutor:

Ms. Yip Yen San, MBA(Marketing) Hons, BBA(Management) Hons

(yipys@utar.edu.my)
Ms. Lam Siew Yong, MSc (Marketing), BSc (Agribusiness)
(lamsy@utar.edu.my)
Ms Jenny Marisa Lim Dao Siang, MBA (Marketing), BA (Business Administration) Hons
(limds@utar.edu.my)

9. Moderator

Dr. Chong Yee Lee, PhD (Tourism), MBA (Marketing), BEcons

(chongyl@utar.edu.my)

10. Mode of
Delivery:

Lecture and Tutorial

11. Objective:

This unit provides a study on behaviour that consumer displays in searching for
purchasing, using, evaluation and disposing of products and services that they expect will
satisfy their needs. It will enable students to :
Understand the consumer behaviour principles, its diversity, its development and
latest evolution concept as the foundation for creating and keeping satisfied and
profitable lifetime customers.

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

Apply behavioural concepts to the real-world business problems, to discuss

consumer as an individual, to be concerned with the social and cultural
dimensions and to explore various aspects of consumer decision makings.

12. Learning
Outcome:

On completion of this unit, a student shall be able to:

Identify the role of consumer behaviour in the act of buying and the reason why
people buy things.
Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the consumer behaviour principles.
Explain the various behavioural concepts concerning the consumer as an
individual and outline the social and cultural dimensions in the various aspects of
consumer decision making.

13. Reading List:

Main Text:
1.

Schiffman, L., Kanuk, L., & Wisenblit, J., (2012). Consumer Behaviour (10th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall

Additional Text
2. Hoyer, W.D., & Maclnnis, D.J. (2010). Consumer Bahavior (5th ed.). South-Western:
Thomson Learning.
3. Blackwell, R.D., Miniard, P. W., Engel. J.F., Pai, D.C., Yasin, Norjaya Mohd., Wan,
Jooria Hood. (2012). Consumer Behavior (1st ed.). South-Western: Thomson
Learning.
4. Hawkins, D.I., Mothersbaugh, D. L., & Best, R.J. (2007). Consumer behavior:
Building marketing strategy (10th ed.), Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
5. Solomon, Michael R. (2009). Consumer Behavior: Buying, having and being (8th
ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
3.

Method of
Assessment:

No
.
1.

2.

Method of Assessment
Coursework
a) Mid-trimester Test
b) Group Project
c) Group Presentations
Total
Final Examination
GRAND TOTAL

Total
Marks
12%
20%
8%
40%

40%
(30 marks)
(50 marks)
(20 marks)
100 marks
60%
100%

1. Coursework (40%)
a) Mid-trimester Test 12% (30 marks)
Mid-trimester test will be given to monitor students progress on the understanding of the
lectures. The duration of the test is 1 hour and will be scheduled in WEEK 8. The midtrimester test structure will be notified later in the class.
NOTE:
Candidates who are unable to attend mid-trimester test must produce evidence from an
appropriate source and with valid reason(s) strictly within one week from the date of the
Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

test. Failure to do so, your score will be automatically nullified. There will not be make-up
test for absence without valid reason.
b) Group Assignment 20% (50 marks)
The group assignment requires each group to undertake a practical task, project or case
study. Each group is to submit the group assignment by Week 9, on the 11th March, 2015
(Wednesday), BEFORE 5pm.
Group Size
Each group will consist of MINIMUM FIVE and MAXIMUM EIGHT students. The
assignment of group members should come from the same tutorial group. Students are
required to submit their group particulars to the tutor during Tutorial 1.
Assignment topic
Select two competing fast food restaurants (e.g. McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dominos
etc.) and conduct a store image study for them. Give your findings and conclusions by
using the theory of consumer behaviour as a framework. REPETITION of the SAME
competing fast food restaurants within a tutorial class is NOT ALLOWED. Students must
submit the assignment in a business REPORT format style based on the following
guidelines:

The companies backgrounds.

Who are their target markets?
How would you define the products that both competing fast food
restaurants have? What type of consumers need do the companies
meet?
Determine the differences between in-store atmospheres. Comment on
what you have found. Apply the concept of perception.
How have the two organizations positioned themselves?
Are there competitive advantages or disadvantages areas that you could
suggest to the store management?
What can you conclude from your findings and analysis?
What improvements can both organizations make to increase consumer
buying? Apply the concepts and theories of consumer behaviour.

Format Written Report

o
o
o
o
o
o
o

The words limit is 3,000 words, excluding Appendix (number of words should be
stated at the end of the project paper).
The written report should be done on a word processor and printed on a single
page.
It must be neatly typed, using 1.5 spacing and justify the paragraph alignment.
Use Times New Roman font size of 12.
Please adhere strictly to the contents and format of the report.
Cover page: subject name & code, assignment title, tutorial group, team members
and ID numbers and program.
The written report assessment form (Appendix A) should be attached together
after the cover page.

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

Content page should include page numbers.

Must attach appendices and references (APA format).
The written assignment should be 12 to 15 pages (exclude Appendix).
Comb binding is NOT NECESSARY.
Punch two holes after the completion of assignment BEFORE submission.

o
o
o
o
o

The assessment of the group assignment will be based on the following criteria:

1
2
3
4
5

Assessment
Companies background, target markets &
consumers needs
Evaluation of the store image attributes,
positioning, competitive advantages &
disadvantages
Conclusions and recommendations
Application of CB theories and knowledge to the
study
Structure, layout, language and references
Total Marks

Marks Allocation
5 marks
10 marks
10 marks
20 marks
5 marks
50 marks

Late Submission Penalty Clause

Deadline for submission of assessment item(s) is to be strictly adhered to. No extension
of time will be allowed except in extenuating circumstances, e.g. medical reasons.
Students who wish to apply for extension of time for submission of assessment item(s)
after the due date shall put in writing the request together with validated documentary
evidence to support the application to his/her class tutor. The lead lecturer may consider
and grant such extension of due date for the assessment item(s) based on the tutor's
recommendation.
Any assessment item required by the Coursework Assessment which is submitted after
the due date, without an approved extension, will be penalized. A penalty of 10%
reduction of the maximum mark applicable to the assessment item(s) will be levied for
each day of late submission. Weekends and Public Holidays are counted as one (1) day
late. Assessment item(s) submitted more than seven (7) days after the due date will be
awarded with zero (0) marks.
2. Final Examination 60% (100 marks)
The final examination for this subject will be 2.5 hours and consists of TWO sections:
Section A (40 marks) = A compulsory case study with 1 question.
Section B (60 marks) = 3 questions in which students are required to answer any 2
questions.

4.

Remark:

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
Plagiarism

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

Plagiarism is defined as the submission or presentation of work, in any form, which is not
one's own, without acknowledgment of the sources. If a student obtains information or
ideas from an outside source, that source must be acknowledged. Another rule to follow
is that any direct quotation must be placed in quotation marks and the source
immediately cited.
Plagiarism is also defined as copy of all or part of the work of another student(s) of
current or previous batch of this University or another higher learning institution.
The University's degree and other academic awards are given in recognition of the
candidate's personal achievement. Plagiarism is therefore considered as an act of
academic fraudulence and as an offence against University discipline.
Intellectual Property
Copyright must be seriously protected. The University takes a strong stand against any
illegal photocopying of textbooks and any other materials by students. Students are
forewarned of the consequences and the penalty that may be meted out if they are
"caught in the act".
Mode of Referencing
Students are advised to incorporate proper academic modes of referencing. The normally
acceptable mode of academic referencing is the American Psychological Association
(APA) system; please refer to the attached APA referencing system document for detailed
usage.
Fieldwork Clause (where applicable)
Students are reminded of the importance to consider their personal safety when
conducting research in the field. You will be exposing yourself in new situations and
meeting with people who are unknown to you. It is important that you are aware of
potential dangers and take the necessary safety steps. You have to be extra careful and
cautious if you are going to interview or conduct survey with small, unknown
organisations or individuals 'on site'.
You should ensure you have the full details (full name, job title, organisation name,
address and telephone numbers) of anyone or organisation you intend to conduct the
field research. You should establish the credibility of these respondents before your
groups visit them. The field research should be made in groups not alone. Leave word
with your fellow classmates on your field visit (details of place, contact numbers, person
you are interviewing or conducting survey with, expected time of return, etc). The field
work should be at office hours.
Attendance
Students are reminded of the importance to attend the lecture and tutorial sessions.
Both lecture and tutorial attendance would be included in the Attendance Analysis (Bar
List requirement).

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

Teaching Plan
Lecture, Tutorial & Assignment Plan
Lecture Topic
Week
1
(12 Jan 2015

16 Jan 2015)

Tutorial Topic

Assignment

Topic 1: The Foundations of

Consumer Behaviour

What is consumer behaviour?

Consumer behaviour and the

marketing concept

Customer value, satisfaction,

trust and retention

The impact of new technologies

on marketing strategies

Tutorial 1:

Group assignment

Briefing on coursework and forming

of assignment groups.

Deadline: Week 9,
11/03/2015,
(WEDNESDAY)
BEFORE 5pm.

2
(19 Jan 2015

23 Jan 2015)

Topic 2: Consumer Motivation

What is motivation, needs and

goals?

Positive and negative motivation

Rational versus emotional

motives

The dynamic nature of

motivation

Frustration

Arousal of motives

Types and systems of needs

Tutorial 2:

3
(26 Jan 2015

30 Jan 2015)

Topic 3: Consumer Personality and

Consumer Behavior

What is personality?

Theories of personality

Personality and consumer

behaviour

Self and self-image

Tutorial 3:

4
(2 Feb 2015

6 Feb 2015)

Topic 4a: Consumer Perception

Sensory dynamics of perception

Elements of perception

Subliminal perception

The dynamics of perception

Tutorial 4:

5
(9 Feb 2015

13 Feb 2015)

Topic 4b: Consumer Perception

Consumer imagery

Perceived price

Perceived quality

Perceived risk

Tutorial 5:

6
(16 Feb 2015

20 Feb 2015)

Topic 5: Consumer Learning

What is learning?

Behavioral learning theories

Cognitive leaning theory

Brand loyalty and brand equity

Tutorial 6:

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

Reference
Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 1)

Submit to respective
tutor.
Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 4)

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 5)

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 6)

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 6)

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.
Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 7)

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.

Lecture, Tutorial & Assignment Plan

Lecture Topic
Week

Tutorial Topic

7
(23 Feb 2015

27 Feb 2015)

Topic 6: Consumer Attitude

Formation and Change

What are attitudes?

Tricomponent attitude model

Attitude formation

Strategies of attitude change

Behaviour can precede or follow

Tutorial 7:

8
(2 Mar 2015

6 Mar 2015)

Topic 7a: Communication and

Consumer Behavior

Impact of social influences

Basic communication model

Communication via the media

What is a group?

What are reference groups?

Factors that affect reference

group influence

Tutorial 8:

9
(9 Mar 2015

13 Mar 2015)

Topic 7b: Communication and

Consumer Behavior

Selected consumer-related
reference groups

Designing persuasive message

Message structure and

presentation

Advertising appeals

Tutorial 9:

10
(16 Mar 2015

20 Mar 2015)

Topic 8: The Family and its Social

Class Standing

Foundations of the family

Functions of the family

The family life cycle

Family decision making

What is social class?

The measurement of social class

Geodemographic clustering

The affluent consumer

Middle-class consumers

The non-affluent consumer

Recognizing the techno-class

Selected consumer behaviour

applications of class

Tutorial 10:

11
(23 Mar 2015

27 Mar 2015)

Topic 9: The Influence of Culture

on Consumer Behaviour

What is culture?

The measurement of culture

Core values

Tutorial 11:

12
(30 Mar 2015

4 Apr 2015)

Topic 10: Subcultural aspects of

Consumer Behaviour

What is subculture?

Ethnic subcultures

Religious subcultures

Tutorial 12:

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

Assignment

Reference
Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 8)

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.

3 short questions to be answered

by students and discussions to be
made in the class.

Mid-trimester test:
07/03/2015
(Saturday)

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter 9)

Report Submission
date:

Schiffman, et
al. Chapter 9)

Presentation (group 1 and 2)

Presentation (group 3 and 4)

Presentation (group 5 and 6)

11/03/2015
(WEDNESDAY)
BEFORE 5pm.
Submit report to
respective tutor

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter
10)

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter
11)

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter
12)

Lecture, Tutorial & Assignment Plan

Lecture Topic
Week

13
(6 Apr 2015

10 Apr 2015)

14
(13 Apr 2015

17 Apr 2015)

Tutorial Topic

Assignment

Reference

Geographic and regional

subcultures
Racial subcultures
Age subcultures
Gender as a subculture

Topic 11: The Decision-making

Process

What is a decision?

4 views of consumer decision

making

A model of consumer decision

making

Tutorial 13:

Revision on Topics

Tutorial 14:

Schiffman, et
al. (Chapter
15)

Case Study
4 short case study questions to be
answered by students and
discussions to be made in the
class.

Revision topics (mixed chapters)

This Unit Plan is:

Prepared by:

Moderated by:

Approved by:

______________
(Name: Yip Yen San)
Lead Lecturer

_______________
(Name: Dr. Chong Yee Lee)
Moderator

________________
(Name: Stephanie Loo Siat Ching)
Head of Department

Date:

Date:

Date:

Notes: The information provided in this Unit Plan is subject to change by the Lecturers. Students shall be notified
in advance of any changes.

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

Appendix A

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Faculty of Business and Finance
(Academic Year 2014/2015)
JAN 2015 TRIMESTER
UBTC2013 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
GROUP ASSIGNMENT S COVER SHEET
Course Details
Faculty:
Year and Trimester:
Tutorial Group No.:
Tutors Name:
Assignment Detail
The selected two competing fast food restaurants:
____________________________________________________________________________
Due Date

: Wednesday, 11th March 2015 BEFORE 5.00pm

Important Note : Submission of assignment is the responsibility of the students.

Failure to follow the guidelines stipulated in the Unit Plan may result in a zero mark

Student Details
Name

Student ID

Course

Handphone no. (email address)

1.
2.
3.
4.

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

5.
6.
Assignment overall marks:
Appendix B

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Faculty of Business and Finance
(Academic Year 2014/2015)
JAN 2015 TRIMESTER
UBTC2013 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
MARKING SCHEME FOR GROUP ASSIGNMENT
Criteria
Companies background, target
markets & consumers needs
Evaluation of the store image
attributes, positioning,
competitive advantages &
disadvantages
Conclusions & recommendations

Poor
1

Satisfactory
2

Moderate
3

Good
4

Very good
5

10

10

12

16

20

Application of CB theories &

knowledge to the study
Structure, layout, language &
references

Marks

Total marks (50)

Name of assessor:

_______________________

Signature of assessor:

_______________________

Date:

_______________________

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

10

Appendix C

UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE
(ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015)
JAN 2015 TRIMESTER
UBTC 2013 CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
MARKING SCHEME FOR GROUP ORAL PRESENTATION
Tutorial Group

Tutors Name

Assessment
Criteria
1 Content of the
presentation
Organization
and clarity of
the content
Quality of the
argument
2 Presentation skills
Adaptation to
the audience
Voice clarity
and
pronunciation
Body language
Time control
3 Visual slides quality
and overall effect.
Creativity
Relevance
Total marks

Marks
Allocated

First
Presenter
(Name)

Second
Presenter
(Name)

Third
Presenter
(Name)

Forth
Presenter
(Name)

Fifth
Presenter
(Name)

Sixth
Presenter
(Name)

5
(group)

10
(individual)

5
(group)

20

Comments / Feedback (if any)

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

11

Tutor: _____________________

Date : ___________________

Appendix D

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) FORMAT (5th Edition)

This crib sheet is a guide to the APA style. It is not intended to replace the Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association, 5th edition. Only selected citations were chosen for inclusion here.
For other examples, see the printed Manual. Use this only as a reference.
Journal Article, One Author
Simon, A. (2000). Perceptual comparisons through the minds eye. Memory & Cognition, 23, 635-647.
Journal Article, Two Authors
Becker, M. B., & Rozek, S. J. (1995). Welcome to the energy crisis. Journal of Social Issues, 32, 230343.
Magazine Article, one author
Garner, H. J. (1997, July). Do babies have a universal song? Psychology Today,102, 70-77.
Newspaper Article, No Author
Study finds free care used more. (1982, April 3). Wall Street Journal, pp. A1, A25.
Book, Two Authors
Strunk, W., & White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style (3rd ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Edited Book
Letheridge, S., & Cannon, C. R. (Eds.). (1980). Bilingual education. New York: Praeger.
Article or Chapter in an Edited Book, Two Editors
Sheets, B. (2006). The cost of lingering arm injuries. In B. Selig,. & W. Selig (Eds.), A compilation of
long stories (pp. 211- 234). Milwaukee, WI: MB Press.
ERIC Document
Peterson, K. (2002). Welfare-to-work programs: Strategies for success (Report No. EDO-JC-02-04).
Washington D.C.:Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (ERIC Document Reproduction
Service No. ED467985)
Entry in an Encyclopedia
Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

12

Imago. (2000). In World Book Encyclopedia (Vol. 10, p. 79). Chicago: World Book Encyclopedia.
Report from a Private Organization
Kimberly-Clark. (2002). Kimberly-Clark (Annual Report). Dallas, TX: Author.
Dissertation
Olsen, G. W. (1985). Campus child care within the public supported post-secondary educational
institutions in the state of Wisconsin (dare care) (Doctoral dissertation, University of WisconsinMadison, 1985). Dissertations Abstracts International, 47/03, 783.
Videotape
Mass, J. B. (Producer), & Gluck, D. H. (Director). (1979). Deeper into hypnosis. (Motion picture).
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Electronic Formats
Internet Article Based on Print Source
The citation is done as if it were a paper article and then followed by a retrieval statement that identifies the
date retrieved and source.
Sahelian, R. (1999, January). Achoo! Better Nutrition, 61, 24. Retrieved September 17, 2001, from
Academic Index.
Web Page with Private Organization as Author
Midwest League. (2003). Pitching, individual records.
http://www.midwestleague.com/indivpitching.html

Retrieved

October

1,

2003,

from

Chapter or Section in an Internet Document

Thompson, G. (2003). Youth coach handbook. In Joe soccer. Retrieved September 17, 2004, from
http://www.joesoccer.com/menu.html
Web page, Government Author
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. (2001). Glacial habitat restoration areas. Retrieved
September 18, 2001, from http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/hunt/hra.htm
Company Information from Aggregated Database
Ripon Pickle Company Inc. (company profile). (2003). Retrieved September 18, 2002, from Business and
Company Resource Center.
Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (company profile). (2004). In Hoovers. Retrieved April 29, 2004, from
Lexis-Nexis.
Personal Communications
Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

13

Personal communications may be things such as email messages, interviews, speeches, and telephone
conversations.
Because the information is not retrievable they should not appear in the reference list. They should look as
follows:
Example: J. Burnitz (personal communication, September 20, 2000) indicated that . or In a recent
interview (J. Burnitz, personal communication, September 20, 2000) I learned that .
Reference Citations in Text
To refer to an item in the list of references from the text, an author-date method should be used. That is,
use the surname of the author (without suffixes) and the year of the publication in the text at appropriate
points.
Example: Researchers have indicated that more is expected of students in higher education (Hudson,
2001) and secondary education (Taylor & Hornung, 2002).
One author
Issac (2001) indicated in his research..
In a recent study, research indicates (Isaac, 2001)
Two or more authors
When a work has two authors, always cite both names every time the reference occurs. For works with
three, four, or five authors, cite all authors the first time the reference occurs. In subsequent citations,
include only the last name of the first author followed by et al.
When a work has no authors
Cite in text the first few words of what appears first for the entry on the list (usually the title) and the year.
Specific parts of a source
(Yount & Molitor, 1982, p. 19)
(Cooper, 1983, chap. 4)
Works with no author
(New Student Center, 2002)
For more detailed information to illustrate the use of parenthetical citations, consult this University of
Wisconsin page.
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocAPACitations.html
Some general rules for APA reference pages:
Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

14

Begin the reference list on a new page. The page begins with the word References (Reference if there
is only one), centered in the top, middle of the page, using both upper and lower case. If the references
take up more than one page, do not re-type the word References on sequential pages, simply continue
your list.
Use one space after all punctuation.
The first line of the reference is flush left. Lines thereafter are indented as a group, a few spaces, to
create a hanging indention.
Double space between citations. Single space in the citations.
Use italics for titles of books, newspapers, magazines, and journals.
References cited in text must appear in the reference list; conversely, each entry in the reference list
must be cited in text.
Arrange entries in alphabetical order
Give in parentheses the year the work was published. For magazines and newspapers, give the year
followed by the month and date, if any. If no date is available, write (n.d.)
Give volume numbers for magazines, journals, and newsletters. Include the issue number for journals if
and only if each issue begins on page 1.

Unit Plan of UBTC2013 Consumer Behaviour

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