Overview of Course

Effective marketing and shrewd consumerism both depend on an understanding of why we as consumers act as we do. This course focuses on understanding and predicting buyer behavior and has two main objectives: (1) introduce students to the classic theories and practice of consumer behavior and the implications of the most current academic research in the field; and (2) enable students to apply consumer behavior concepts to real world marketing and consumption problems. SAS provides an incredible opportunity to integrate theories from marketing, psychology, sociology, anthropology and economics to explore how buyer behavior around the world is shaped by internal and external forces. A high level of class participation is expected, and students should be prepared for small group collaborative learning as they work to understand what drives buyer behavior to inform both marketing decision making and their own daily experiences.