UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED

Marketing and Consumer Behavior, ECON 108

Term TBD
Location TBD
Course Time TBD

Instructor: TBD
Office location for instructor
Instructor email address

Office Hours: TBD

Required Text:
- Consumer Behavior, 6th Edition by Wayne D. Hoyer, Deborah J. MacInnis and Rik
Peters. ISBN: 978-1133435211
- Research articles will referenced in class and available electronically at the library.

Pre-Requisites: ECON 001

Course Description:
This course outlines the foundations of marketing and its relationship with consumer
behavior. The emphasis will be on the fundamental concepts underlying modern
marketing practices including consumer preferences, product value, pricing strategies,
retail markets, brand loyalty, advertising, product development and marketing ethics. To
facilitate this process we will develop your knowledge through the application of sound
economic theory and its relationship to consumer demand.

Course Learning Objectives and Course Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course you will have a deeper understanding of how consumer
behavior, and its foundation in economics, relates to successful marketing practice. More
specifically you will develop an understanding of the importance of consumer behavior in
marketing, be presented with the marketing tools used to uncover consumer behavior. As
an outcome, you will apply this knowledge to develop successful marketing models.

Program Learning Outcomes:

This course’s Goals and Learning Outcomes meet several of the 6 specific Economics
Program Learning outcomes as well as several of the 5 specific Management &
Business Economics Program Learning outcomes listed below. For a map of the
specific PLOs that this course satisfies, please refer to the Curriculum Maps:
1. ECONOMICS CLICK HERE
2. MANAGEMENT & BUSINESS ECONOMICS CLICK HERE
Economics’ Program Learning Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of organizations and institutions in a
society, the impact of organizations and institutions on the economic environment
and outcomes, and how incentives influence individual and organizational
behavior and performance.
 2. Recognize and describe how government actions affect economic performance
and how economic interests influence government decisions.
3. Design and conduct research that will inform managerial and policy decision-
making, including the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data using
familiar software packages.
4. Define problems and identify multifaceted explanations for complex economic
phenomena by using information and data from multiple sources to answer the
questions at hand.
5. Demonstrate critical thinking about the information encountered, whether it is in
coursework or reported in the media.
6. Communicate clearly and cogently in written and oral form using modern
technology.
Management and Business Economics’ Program Learning Outcomes:
1. Analyze key data and solve problems related to business management.
2. Apply theories and concepts from disciplines in Management and Business
Economics (e.g. accounting, economics, statistics, finance, and marketing) to
business management situations.
3. Use effective written and oral communication consistent with the discipline and
professional environments.
4. Apply information technology to develop business proposals, models, and reports,
with recommendations for economics and management strategies and actions.
5. Evaluate ethical, social and external issues as they relate to the organization,
operations, human resources and business ventures.

General Education Guiding Principles:

1. Decision Making: To appreciate the various and diverse factors bearing on
decisions and the know-how to assemble, evaluate, interpret and use information
effectively for critical analysis and problem solving.
2. Communication: To convey information to and communicate and interact
effectively with multiple audiences, using advanced skills in written and other
modes of communication.
3. Self and Society: To understand and value diverse perspectives in both the global
and community contexts of modern society in order to work knowledgeably and
effectively in an ethnically and culturally rich setting.
4. Ethics and Responsibility: To follow ethical practices in their professions and
communities, and care for future generations through sustainable living and
environmental and societal responsibility.

Format and Procedures:

The courses learning objectives will be achieved through lectures, group discussions and
class projects as well as through the use of reading key economics and marketing
literature in the field.
Course Requirements:
Regular class attendance is essential to learning the material in this course and to develop
a robust dialogue within the classroom. In the case that you have more than two
unexcused absences during the course, I reserve the right to lower your final course grade
by a half a letter grade for each unexcused absence.

Course readings will be assigned at different times during the course and deadlines will
be provided. You will be expected to read the papers and be engaged in the classroom
discussion of these papers. This material will be covered on the exams and quizzes
where applicable.

Grading Procedures:
Your grade for this course will be based on your performance on three quizzes, two
exams, a team-marketing project and a final exam. The percentage distribution is as
follows:

Quizzes 15%
Exam 1 20%
Exam 2 20%
Team Marketing Project 20%
Final Exam 25%
Total 100%

You are expected to be present for each examination and quiz. If you are going to miss
an examination/quiz you must contact the instructor before the exam/quiz or have
someone else contact the instructor for you before the exam/quiz. If you have a valid
excuse for missing an exam then you will need to provide a written excuse with your
signature. If you do not contact the instructor before the exam/quiz or you do not have a
valid reason for missing an exam/quiz your grade on the exam/quiz will be a zero.

(NO cell phones or PDAs will be permitted for use on the quizzes and exams – you
must use a calculator)

(Quizzes 15%)
Three quizzes will be given over the course of the semester. Quizzes are scheduled to
provide you feedback on your course progress between the two main exams. Quizzes
will be given in the last 30 minutes of the scheduled class period. Quiz dates are: Week
3, Week 7, and Week 13. Prior to each quiz a problem set will be provided to outline
the course material that will be contained on the quiz. Problem sets will not be graded,
but are highly recommended if you wish to perform well on the quizzes.

Exams (40% Total)

There will be two exams scheduled for Week 5 and Week 10. Should you miss an
exam and do not have an acceptable excuse you will receive a score of 0 on the exam.
Team Marketing Project (20% of grade)
Student teams of either 4 or 5 students will be formed to develop a marketing strategy for
a product. The product will be self-selected by the student teams. These teams will be
required to analyze the consumer demand for the product, a market analysis and targeted
marketing strategy for their product. Students are required to form their teams by Week
4, submit a brief outline of their marketing project by Week 8 and provide a 10 minutes
presentation of their product during the final two weeks of the course (Week 15 and 16).
A grading rubric for the projects will be provided on Week 6 that will outline the grading
criteria used for the project as well as how individual effort on the project is to reported.
Final Exam (20% of grade)
The final exam will be given on Finals Week Schedule. It will be quasi-cumulative in
nature. It will focus primarily on material following the second exam with approximately
20% of the exam coming from material covered on the first two exams. Additional
details will be provided in the course.
(Extra Credit)
Extra credit opportunities will be offered both in and out of the classroom. More
information on these opportunities will be given in class. All extra credit will be counted
toward your quiz scores only.

Quiz/Exam Review:
In the case that you feel that an exam/quiz question has been graded in error, you must
submit your request for a re-grade in writing no more than two class periods after the
quiz/exam has been returned. In the case that an error has been made it will be promptly
rectified, however, I do reserve the right to re-grade the entire quiz/exam.

Your Grade
Your grade for each quiz and exam will be calculated as a percentage of the highest grade
earned on that quiz or exam within the class. In addition, all extra credit earned in the
course will be added after your preliminary course grade is calculated to ensure that extra
credit only has a positive benefit on your grade and does not directly impact the grades of
others within the course. Grades will be determined as follows,

A: 100%-93% A-: 92%-90% B+: 89%-87% B: 86%-83%

B-: 82%-80% C+: 79-77% C: 76%-73% C-: 72%-70%
D+: 69%-67% D: 66%-63% D-: 62-60% F: Below 60%

Make-up exam policy:

Make up exams will be proctored by the professor and must be scheduled with the
professor. All make-up exams MUST be taken prior to the next class period. In the
case that the exam is not taken prior to the next class period your exam grade will be
lowered an entire letter grade for each extra class period, unless other mitigating
circumstances arise which preclude you from being able to take the exam prior to the
next class period; acceptable excuses will be decided on by the professor.

Academic Integrity:
Each student in this course is expected to abide by the University of California, Merced’s
Academic Honesty Policy. Any work submitted by a student in this course for academic
credit will be the student's own work. A link is provided below:
http://studentlife.ucmerced.edu/what-we-do/student-judicial-affairs/academicy-honesty-
policy

You are encouraged to study together and to discuss information and concepts covered in
lecture and the sections with other students. You can give "consulting" help to or receive
"consulting" help from such students. However, this permissible cooperation should
never involve one student having possession of a copy of all or part of work done by
someone else, in the form of an e-mail, an e-mail attachment file, a diskette, or a hard
copy. Should copying occur, both the student who copied work from another student and
the student who gave material to be copied will both automatically receive a zero for the
assignment. Penalty for violation of this Policy can also be extended to include failure of
the course and University disciplinary action.
During examinations, you must do your own work. Talking or discussion is not permitted
during the examinations, nor may you compare papers, copy from others, or collaborate
in any way. Any collaborative behavior during the examinations will result in failure of
the exam, and may lead to failure of the course and University disciplinary action.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

The University of California, Merced is committed to ensuring equal academic
opportunities and inclusion for students with disabilities based on the principles of
independent living, accessible universal design and diversity. I am available to discuss
appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for student with disabilities.
Requests for academic accommodations are to be made during the first three weeks of the
semester, except for unusual circumstances. Students are encouraged to register with
Disability Services Center to verify their eligibility for appropriate accommodations.

NOTE: THE COURSE SYLLABUS PROVIDES A GENERAL PLAN FOR THE

COURSE; DEVIATIONS MAY BE NECESSARY

Important University Dates:

####

Week 1:
#### – Review of key economic principals
Week 2:
#### – Understanding Consumer Behavior (Chp. 1)
#### – Understanding Consumer Behavior (Chp. 1)

Week 3:
#### – Motivation, Ability, and Opportunity (Chp. 2)
#### – Motivation, Ability, and Opportunity (Chp. 2)
(Quiz #1)

Week 4:
#### – From Exposure to Comprehension (Chp. 3)
#### – Memory, Knowledge and Attitudes (Chp. 4-6)
(Submission of Marketing Teams)

Week 5:
#### – Memory, Knowledge and Attitudes (Chp. 4-6)
#### – Exam #1 (Chapters 1 – 6)

Week 6:
#### – Problem Recognition and Information Search (Chp. 7)
#### – Problem Recognition and Information Search (Chp. 7)
(Grading Rubric for Marketing Teams handed out)

Week 7:
#### – Judgment and Decision Making (Chp. 8-9)
#### – Judgment and Decision Making (Chp. 8-9) (Quiz #2)

Week 8:
#### – Social Influences on Consumer Behavior (Chp. 11)
#### – Social Influences on Consumer Behavior (Chp. 11)
(Submission of Marketing Team Outlines)

Week 9:
#### – Household and Social Class Influences (Chp. 13)
#### – Household and Social Class Influences (Chp. 13)

Week 10:
#### – Innovations: Adoptions, Resistance, and Diffusion (Chp. 15)
#### – Exam #2 (Chapters 6 - 9)

Week 11:
#### – Innovations: Adoptions, Resistance, and Diffusion (Chp. 15)
#### – Empirical Models of Consumer Demand – Random Utility Modeling

Week 12:
#### – Empirical Models of Consumer Demand – Marketing Behavior
#### -- Symbolic Consumer Behavior (Chp. 16)

Week 13:
#### –Using Behavioral Economics in Marketing (course readings)
#### – Using Behavioral Economics in Marketing (course readings) (Quiz #3)

Week 14:
#### – Marketing, Ethics, and Social Responsibility (Chp. 17)
#### – No Class – Thanksgiving Break

Week 15:
#### – Marketing Presentations
#### – Marketing Presentations

Week 16:
#### – Marketing Presentations
#### – Marketing Presentations