Masters Program in Marketing, Module1.

Consumer Behavior, 2FE045, 2FE046, Fall 2008

Yvonne von Friedrichs Grngsj

CODE:

Expected answers
EXAMINATION
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR, 7,5 ECTS

Date: 03/10/08

Time: 14.00-18.00

Examination room: P, Sal 7

Points: You can receive a total of 40 credits in this exam. To get a passing grade you
need to have at least 20 credits.
Instructions:
This exam consists of four essay questions.
The questions shall be answered on separate sheets, well marked with question
number as well as your name.
Please mind your handwriting, as unreadable answers will be graded accordingly.
The completed examination should be handed in to the invigilator.

Question 1. (10 credits) chapter 9

Most consumers go through a series of steps when they make a purchase.
Since some purchase decisions are more important than others, the amount of effort we
put into each differs. Sometimes the decision is automatic and sometimes it could be a
more complex process. Describe the stages in consumer decision-making and if
consumers always go through these stages in every purchase situation. Discuss by using
an example how marketers may influence each step in this process.

1) Problem recognition - Opportunity recognition and need recognition, ideal and

actual state
2) Information search - Internal and external information search, deliberately or
accidentally
3) Evaluation of alternatives - Attributes comparison
4) Product choice - Brands etc., non-compensatory or compensatory
5) Outcomes - Post purchase, conclusion about quality and expectation
Process differs in Complexity routine, limited, extensive problem solving
heuristic decision making, impulse buying

Question 2. (10 credits) chapter 7+8

Consumers are constantly bombarded by messages inducing them to change their
attitudes. Explain how attitudes can be created and modified?
A lasting general evaluation of people, objects, advertising and issues.
ABC model helps us to understand the creation of attitudes, element defining attitude
are cognition, affect, behavior.
Standard hierachy, cognition affect behavior (cognitive info processing)
Low-involvment, cognition behavior affect (behavioral learning)
Experimental hierachy, affect- behavior cognition (hedonic)
Four attitude factors:
Utilitarian function
Value-expressive function
Ego-defencive function
Knowledge funcition
How is attitudes formed? Not all attitudes are created equal. It can be formed in several
different ways. Solomon lift forward some major theoretical perspecitves to explain how
attitudes form and relate to one another in the minds of the consumer.
Attitude commitment, complience, identification, internationalization
Consistency principle, want harmony between feelings, thoughts and behavior
Cognitive dissonance & harmony, confllict between behavior and attitude, either
eliminate, add or change a component
Self-perception theory, look at the own behavior to form attitude
Social judgment theory, initial attitude and experience to judge attitude object
Balance theory, harmony between person self, attitude obejct and another attitude obejct
Could be changed by persuasion and using some basic psychological principles:
Reciprocity
Scarcity
Authority
Consistency
Liking
Consensus

Question 3. (10 credits)

Market segmentation is an important aspect of consumer behaviour. Market
segmentation delineates segments whose members are similar to one another in one or
more characteristics and different from members of other segments.
a) Describe the most common segmentation variables and exemplify how you as a
marketing manager can use these variables. (5 credits)
Demography, geography, psychography, behavior
(ex. age, gender, family, social class, income, occupation, religion, culture)
b) Place in order of precedence five of the most important changes in our society
that most likely will affect the segmentation variables in the future? Motivate your
answer. (5 credits)
Example:
Globalization
Internet
Technology innovation
Family structure
Individualism
Age structure
Multicultural - mixed cultures, erased borders
Social mobility
Ethical and environmental issues
Gender differentiation
Question 4. (10 credits) chapter 11
Consumption could to a large extent be considered as a group activity, which means that
other people and groups could influence the way an individual consume and spend the
money. Describe five of the most important influencers and their impact on the consumer
decision. Motivate your choice.
Example:
Reference groups, family, subgroups
Culture
Social class
Expert groups
Mavens
Legal power
Brand communities
Cyber communities
Opinion leaders
Mass media
Surrogate consumer, intermediates

W-o-M
A good discussion and convincing argumentation according to the answers above are
expected as well.