Consumer behaviour

Consumer behavior refers to the study of how people buy, use and dispose goods and services. It refers to study how the emotions, attitudes and preferences of consumers affect their buying behaviour.

Question:

Increases in real GDP per capita have lead to corresponding increases in levels of global consumption. Choose one category of consumption practice (defined any way you choose) and the do the following:

1. List and critically evaluate what you consider to be the major internal and external factors that motivate consumers to engage in this consumption practice.

2. List and critically evaluate the positive and the negative effects on environmental sustainability, individual well-being and social cohesion of your chosen consumption practice.

3. Discuss the possible influence of government policy, consumer lobbyists and individual consumers on the way this category of consumption practice will develop in the next twenty years.

Begin the report by writing a brief introduction that outlines the category of consumption practices you have chosen and why, and then devote roughly the same words to each to each of the three sections. Finally, devote no more than 500 words to your conclusion.

Good submissions would be expected to have the title at the beginning, an introduction, a main body (including the response to each of the three sub-questions), a brief conclusion, a list of references (Harvard style), and if necessary, appendices (but there is no requirement for appendices).

Candidates should clearly explicate a chosen category of consumption practice. This term has been used deliberately to allow students to choose a focus that interests them. They could look into fashion or luxury consumption, specifying particular goods or services. Or they could look broadly at transport, with a focus on cars, air travel or sea travel. Tourism could be another broad category of consumption practice, or sports spectatorship, consumption of processed foods, alcohol, cigarettes or indeed any other form of consumption, however the candidate wishes to define it. Candidates must address all the components of the question, and may use sub-headings if they wish to do so.

The submissions should where possible make use of relevant examples and references to relevant academic research. There are many published studies available in the academic journal fields of consumer research, sustainability, sociology and anthropology of consumption, and marketing. Where submissions discuss the possible internal and external consumer motivations, the best work will ensure that these points are not subjective or speculative but are supported by relevant citations to published academic work.

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