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Table of Contents
Application of consumer Behaviour Theories...........................................................................3
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Maslow Hierarchy of Needs. .3
Psychological Needs..........................................................................................................3
Safety Needs.......................................................................................................................4
Love, friendship and Sense of Belonging..........................................................................4
Esteem Needs.....................................................................................................................5
Self-Actualisation Needs....................................................................................................5
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Sensory Systems (perception)5
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Classical Conditioning
(learning)................................................................................................................................7
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Self-Image Congruence (self-
concept)..................................................................................................................................8
Reflective Statement................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................12
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Application of consumer Behaviour Theories
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow hierarchy of needs articulates that specific needs of an individual are to be fulfilled
prior to meeting the higher order needs. The psychological needs are placed at the bottom of
the pyramid of the Maslow hierarchy of needs, which is followed by safety needs, Esteem
needs, and self-actualization needs (Taormina & Gao, 2013; Solomon et al., 2009). The
subsequent section explains the purchase of new care such as such BMWi using Maslow
hierarchy of needs.
Psychological Needs
Psychological needs of an individual are placed at the bottom of the pyramid and it signifies
the basic needs of an individual that all individuals continuously strive to satisfy. The
psychological needs are a priority and thus all individuals in a given market strive to satisfy it
(Rakowski, 2011). Consumers cannot satisfy other needs unless the psychological needs are
satisfied. Correspondingly, unless the psychological needs of the customers are fulfilled, they
will continuously strive to satisfy these needs and thus other needs in the hierarchy provide
products such as BMWi cars, it is quite difficult to create demand for the product. In this
regard, cost or prices of BMWi can be regarded as a major determinant that influences the
ability of the consumer to purchase the BMWi cars. Notably, the satisfaction of the
psychological needs requires a low cost for individuals. However, when purchase decision for
the consumers, BMWi cars may not be ideal choice although it satisfies the individual's needs
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but not cheaply. There are several other companies that sell cars and position itself in such a
way that it is perceived by consumers to meet their needs of transportation at the best price.
Safety Needs
As far as safety needs are concerned, it can be argued that safety needs more complex than
psychological needs. In this regard, it can be stated that unlike psychological needs, the safety
needs do not focus on short-term or immediate needs satisfaction rather it deals with long-
term issues (Barling, 1977; Oleson, 2004). Given the importance of safety needs, consumers
can be identified to spend considerable time in making their choice for products. Though it
can be argued that cost serves as the most important determinants of consumers purchase
decisions, but safety is another important aspect for which consumers are often willing to
spend huge sum in order to ensure they are safe (Nagar & Sharma, 2016). Given the case
study, it has been found that BMWi cars make use of more advanced technologies compared
to those used in the conventional cars which also ensure adequate safety features and meet
the demand of everyday use of the consumers. The increased safety feature can also be
argued to influence the other needs in the hierarchy pyramid. It is therefore, BMW can easily
convince the customers that the product it is offering is best in the category.
Love, friendship and sense of belonging are some of the important aspects that significantly
influence how individuals feel and perceives. The need of support and love, in fact, forms an
integral element of the everyday life of an individual. It is quite difficult to lead a life without
any connection (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). Currently, organizations have identified the
importance of these needs and are articulating it in their products to attract potential
customers (Kreitner, R. & Kinicki, 2003). Concerning the BMWi cars, it has been ascertained
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that the company has elegantly designed the cars and offer ample of space for passengers to
travel with their family. Besides, the BMWi car offers customers with an opportunity to
demonstrate their love and care for the environment. Correspondingly, the eco-friendly nature
Esteem Needs
Esteem needs are the fourth layer of Maslow hierarchy of needs that deals with aspects
related to respect, appreciation and achievement. In the current business environment, the
aspects of self-esteem, respect, and appreciation play an important role in making a purchase
decision by consumers. This is because some of the buying decisions are driven by
personality attributes as well as how they want to be perceived by others (Rakowski, 2011;
Truong, & McColl, 2011). Given the case study, BMW is a huge brand and is perceived as a
symbol of status by people. Moreover, BMWi comes with exclusive features and
technologies that distinguish it from other conventional cars. The interior of the BMWi, the
dashboard, seats, and doors reflect exclusive touch. Hence, these factors are more likely to
Self-Actualisation Needs
Once all the needs are satisfied, consumers move towards self-actualization, which means
that they are less likely to influence by outside forces. The consumers at this stage exactly
know what they want and who they are. It is difficult for many companies to change the
minds of the consumer. Though they may purchase the products found at other levels they are
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Sensory Systems
(perception)
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In the recent years, sensory system is gaining immense importance in explaining most of the
impact on the buying perception of consumers towards particular brand or products (Latasha
et al., 2016; Rathee & Rajain, 2017). Notably, sensory system is based on the aspects that
consumers are more likely to form, memorize and discover the mind where all five senses
including sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch are involved. These senses allow consumers to
develop strong and long lasting emotional connection with the particular brand such as
Porsche cars and triggers consumer perceptions of an abstract idea about the cars (Hussain,
2014). In other words, the sensory system leads the consumer to self-generate attribute
regarding Porsche cars rather than those provided by the advertisers or marketers (Krishna,
2011). It affects the perceived notions of abstract attributes related to Porsche cars such as
elegance, sophistication, and innovativeness among others. For example, when a consumer
hears the sound of a care, the consumer is more likely to perceive physical feature of the car.
When the sound of the care is found to be congruent with expectations of the consumers, they
tend to perceive and evaluate the car positively and are more willing spend money for
purchasing the product. On the contrary, when consumers find that the sound does not meet
their expectations, they tend to develop negative perception regarding Porsche cars and are
less likely to purchase the car. Similar explanations can also be attributed to other senses
including visual, smell, taste and touch (Latasha et al., 2016; Krishna, 2011).
BMWi, it is produced by one of the most popular and most trusted automobile brands that is
the BMW Group, which is also known for its elegant automobile design and innovation.
Correspondingly, consumers who are intending to purchase BMWi are more likely to develop
positive perception (Hussain, 2014). In addition, consumers are also more likely to self-
generate certain abstract attributes based on their past experience with BMW products. In this
context, consumers are more likely to relate BMWi with a powerful engine, elegant interior,
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and comfort among others. Such perceptions of the consumers towards the BMWi cars are
more likely provide consumers with the reasons to make a purchase decision. In addition, the
visual perception of the consumers also helps consumers to judge or perceive the quality of
BMWi cars as well as other features of the cars which can have a considerable impact on the
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Classical Conditioning
(learning)
The theory of classical condition was first coined by Russian physiologist Pavlov in 1927
(Foxall, 2002). The theory deals with an unconditioned stimulus that is related to a biological
stimulus which elicit certain response due to the repeated paired with the stimulus which
generates stimulus. In this regard, the stimuli that cause unconscious and automatic response
are called unconditioned stimuli. In addition, the theory of classical conditioning further
notes that when a neutral stimulus triggers similar response due to repeated pairings, it results
in conditioned stimulus. Likewise, the responses that are triggered by the conditioned
stimulus are called conditioned response. In addition, this theory notes that classical
conditioning can be achieved not only through unconditioned stimulus but also through a
conditioned stimulus that has been previously experienced by an individual. Moreover, this
theory firmly argues that classical conditioning behavior is largely controlled by a stimulus
It can be strongly argued that classical conditioning theory plays an important role in the field
of consumer behavior as well as marketing strategy of car manufacturers such as Porsche and
BMW. In this regard, it has been argued that when a new car is launched in the market,
consumers generally have neutral feeling but when the products are repeatedly advertised in
it associations with certain exciting events, it is highly possible that the cars may also
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generate excitement among the customers on its own due to its repeated pairing with the
event. It is, therefore, car companies across the world often use stimuli to their advertisement
with the objective to generate emotions among the potential customers conditioning (Stuart et
al., 1987; Stahl et al. 2009). At the same time, it has been argued that classical condition has
indifferent towards certain products like Porsche or BMW cars. Considering the product
related stimuli in the context of BMWi, it can be argued that external stimuli such as eco-
friendly nature of BMWi can be paired with the BMWi cars so that the cars trigger the
positive effect. Thus, the behavior that emerged can facilitate the company to bring the
customers closer contact to the BMWi cars. Correspondingly, if the product triggers positive
effect, the customers exposed to the cars are more likely to display positive behavior and if
the negative emotions are triggers, it can lead to an unfavorable response to the cars. To that
extent, the classical conditioning has the tendency to influence the product purchase and other
related behaviors.
Explanation of the purchase of a new car such BMWi using Self-Image Congruence
(self-concept)
The self-image of customers is argued by many scholars to have a significant impact on the
consumer purchase decision. As per this theory of self-image congruence, consumers are
more likely to buy products when their self-image is similar to that of the product or brand
image. In the past, the theory of self-image congruence has been widely used by the scholars
and marketers to understand and predict consumer behaviors (Sirgy et al. 1997). Self-image
congruence in its broad meaning is defined as the match between the self-concept of the
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customers with the product or brand image (Sirgy, 1985). It has been noted that consumers
purchase or consumes products or services not only for functional value but also because of
symbolic meaning. In this regard, it has been noted that every customer has certain symbolic
image towards particular brand or products which is basically a stereotypic personality image
reflects certain social patterns, motivation, and personal attributes. For example, people often
purchase and use luxury brands in order to reinforce their status in the society (Hosany &
for self-expression. This theory of self-image congruence can also be identified to make
In addition, it has been contended that customers are usually motivated to purchase and
consume products which facilitate in maintaining and enhancing the self-concept of the
customers. In marketing research, four different dimensions of self-concept are identified that
include actual self-concept, idea self-concept, social self-concept and ideal social self-concept
(Ekinci & Riley, 2003). According to Sirgy (1982), when the product image interacts with
one or more self-concepts (actual self-concept, idea self-concept, social self-concept, and
ideal social self-concept) customers tends to develop a positive, negative or indifferent image
In addition, Sirgy & Danes (1982) identified four distinct situations that might arise due to
the interaction of consumer’s self-image and the product image which has the tendency to
influence the consumer purchase behavior. Applying those four conditions in the case of
BMWi it can be comprehended that when the positive self-image of customers match with
the positive product image it can lead a situation of positive self-congruity which has the
greater possibility to satisfy their self-concept and thus motivate them to purchase the BMWi
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cars. On the other hand, if the negative self-image corresponds with the positive product
image, it can lead to the condition of positive self-incongruity. In such situation, customers
may still approach to purchase BMWi cars in order to satisfy their unmet ideal image.
Notwithstanding, if the negative product image interacts with the negative self-image held by
the customers, it can lead to the emergence of the negative self-congruity condition, in which
they are less likely to be motivated to purchase BMWi cars. Similarly, if the negative product
image interacts with the positive self-image, it can lead to a situation referred as negative
self-incongruity. In such situation, customers are more likely to avoid the product as they may
find the product to be lacking desired image necessary for satisfying their self-esteem (Sirgy
Reflective Statement
Attending the tutorials in the autumn semester was a unique experience for me, which
consumer behavior. Before attending these tutorials, I have very limited understanding
regarding the concepts of consumer behavior but these tutorials undoubtedly enhanced by
knowledge and understanding of consumer behavior theories and concepts as well as their
regarding the facts that consumer behavior is a dynamic concept and is influenced by several
essential for them to develop a comprehensive understanding regarding various factors and
More importantly, the tutorials offered significant opportunity for me to apply a variety of c
theories to understand the consumer behavior in the marketplace. Notably, prior to these
tutorials I have strong beloved that Maslow’ hierarchy needs can only be applied in the
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human resource domain, but after attending these tutorials I was able to comprehend that
motivational theories like Maslow’s hierarchy needs can also be applied in the field of
consumer behaviour to acquire better insight and knowledge about the consumer behaviour.
In addition, these tutorials also facilitated in deriving knowledge pertaining to the importance
of customer perceptions while making product offerings to them and how consumer
Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the tutorials also contributed in understanding the
importance of symbolic image such as brand and logo which the customers attached to their
lifestyle and how this symbolic or stereotype feelings shape the consumer purchase behavior.
Notably, it has been learned that customers purchase decision is not only influenced by the
functional value of the product but is strongly related to the symbolic meaning that they
attach with the product. Particularly, in the context of automobile products such as BMWi
cars, it has been learned that customers are more likely to place significant importance on the
Notwithstanding, the knowledge and insight that I acquired from the tutorials were indeed
very helpful for me for constructing the essay. It made it quite easier for me to understand a
variety of concepts related to consumer behavior and effectively relate with the given case
study to draw arguments and discussions. On a further note, I would like to state that I am
looking forward to attending such tutorials in future as well as and sharpen my knowledge
base by implementing the understand thus derived from the tutorials in practice scenario.
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References
Baumeister, R. F. & Leary, M. R. 1995. The Need to Belong: Desire for Interpersonal
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Ekinci, Y. & Riley, M. (2003). An investigation of self-concept: actual and ideal self-
congruence compared in the context of service evaluation. J Retailing Consum Serv., 10(4),
pp. 201–14.
Hussain, S. 2014. The Impact Of Sensory Branding (Five Senses) On Consumer: A Case
Kaur, A. 2013. Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory: Applications and Criticisms. Global
Kreitner, R. & Kinicki, A. 2003. Organizational Behavior. New York City: McGraw-Hill
Higher Education.
Krishna, A. 2011. An integrative review of sensory marketing: Engaging the senses to affect
Oleson, M. 2004. 'Exploring the relationship between money attitudes and Maslow's
hierarchy of needs. International Journal for Consumer Studies, 28(1), pp. 83-92.
Rakowski, N. 2011. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Model - the Difference of the Chinese and
the Western Pyramid on the Example of Purchasing Luxurious Products. Munich: GRIN
Verlag.
Rathee, R. & Rajan, P. 2017. Sensory Marketing-Investigating the Use of Five Senses.
Solomon, et al. 2009. Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, Being. Australia: Pearson.
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Stahl, C. et al. (2009). . On the respective contributions of awareness of unconditioned
stimulus valence and unconditioned stimulus identity in attitude formation through evaluative
Taormina, R. J. & Gao, J. H. 2013. Maslow and the Motivation Hierarchy: Measuring
Truong, Y. & McColl, R. 2011. Intrinsic motivations, self-esteem, and luxury goods
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