Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding
The purpose of the course is to transfer the knowledge necessary to identify the optimal type of research with respect to the cognitive needs and budget constraints of the company, to understand the consumer behaviour, to identify the appropriate neuromarketing research technique, in addition to the skills required to conduct field research. In particular, the students will develop advanced knowledge of:
• Marketing research: people, processes, types
• Non standard research
• Observation
• In-depth interview
• Focus Group
• Analysis of documents
• The standard research
• Structured interview
• Experiment
• Structured observation
• Validity and reliability of the research
• Statistical analysis of data
• Decision-making system, cognitive errors and social influences
• theoretical evolution of consumer research;
• needs, motivation and involvement;
• attitudes and behavioural theories;
• perception and learning;
• memory systems;
• emotions;
• the development of neuromarketing;
• neuromarketing techniques.
These results, in terms of knowledge and understanding, will be achieved through the combined use of monographic lectures, seminars held by business operators and team works.
b. Applying knowledge and understanding
The students will be able to apply the most appropriate methodological tools to solve a marketing question. At the end of the course, the students will have a complete view of the marketing research process and will have acquired skills of applied comprehension, analytical ability and problem solving. Furthermore, the student will possess the necessary knowledge to understand consumer behavior and to identify the most appropriate neuromarketing research techniques for the analyze. The ability to apply the knowledge gained will be done through critical reflection on the themes proposed for self-study, the study of specific case studies and team works.
c. Making judgements
At the end of the course, the students will be able to apply the acquired analytical tools to study consumer behaviour, collect, analyze and interpret the data to support decision making in marketing. The ability of making judgments will be stimulated promoting the ability to develop an individual process of reflection and management of a research project.
d. Communication skills
During the course the students will be encouraged to acquire adequate communication skills. They will be asked to transfer in a clear and effective way information and concepts related to specific issues of marketing research. Specifically, they will be asked to prepare brief papers, or provide an oral summary on specific topics, also with the aid of information technology tools and media.
e. Learning skills
At the end of the course the students will have gained the ability to expand, update and deepen the knowledge acquired from lessons and course textbooks. The presentation of case studies and guided discussion of hot topics will aim to stimulate intellectual curiosity, willingness to update and to strength the acquired application skills.
Prerequisites
Course unit content
The course consists of two modules, closely related to each other: the “Consumer behavior analysis” module and the “Neuroshopping” module.
The “Consumer Behavior Analysis” module illustrates the design and organization of marketing research with the aim of effectively supporting business decision making.
The module is divided into two main sections. The first section explores the scientific and operational aspects of the research process: design of the research project, methods of data acquisition, measurement tools, techniques of analysis and presentation of results. Particular attention will be devoted to the most important qualitative and quantitative research techniques employed in marketing. The issue of the validity and reliability of the research will be examined in order to produce accurate, relevant and timely information to support decision-making. On the application side, the knowledge needed to analyze advanced data collection with both qualitative and quantitative methods will be transmitted. The second session focuses on cognitive bias and related psychological and social aspects that can compromise the quality of the research. The strategies and solutions useful to counteract them will be illustrated.
The ”Neuroshpping” module aims to provide students the conceptual tools to understand
the consumer behaviour and illustrate the research techniques available to analyze it in support of business decisions making.
The module is divided into three main sections. The first section focuses on the factors that influence consumer behaviour and the decision-making process. The second part is devoted to understanding the role played by emotions in influencing the consumer behaviour. The third section focuses on neuromarketing discipline, with particular focus on research techniques employed in marketing.
Full programme
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Bibliography
“Consumer behaviour analysis” module
Luceri B. (2013), Prospettive della ricerca di marketing. Business, scienza, spazi e vertigini, Egea, Milano.
Recommended readings
Tedeschi M. (2013), Decisioni economiche: l'illusione della scelta, Egea, Milano.
“Neuroshopping” Module
Luceri B. e Zerbini C. (2019) Teste tempestose. Capire il consumatore: dal comportamentismo al neuromarketing. Giappichelli.
Slides used in class during lessons and uploaded weekly on the Elly platform.
Video recordings of the lessons or other equivalent audio-video material will be uploaded weekly on the Elly platform.
Teaching methods
Frontal lecture, Case study analysis.
During the course, an optional group work will be provided which will give students the opportunity to confront on a practical level with market research techniques and the analysis of the data collected (qualitative and quantitative). The group work will allow to accrue up to 2 bonus points for the exam, valid in all the exams of the first semester. Groups can consist of 2 or 3 students. More information on group work will be given during the course.
In case of a health emergency, the lessons will take place electronically on the Teams platform, in the class of the course, at the scheduled time.
The lesson calendar will be visible in the “Lesson Plan” file published on the Elly page of the course.
Assessment methods and criteria
To test the knowledge and understanding skills, the ability to apply knowledge, the autonomy of judgment and the ability to learn, the ability to communicate with an appropriate technical language, will be carried out:
- in the case of an oral exam, two question, with a score from 0 to 15 (one question related to the "Consumer behavior analysis" module and the other related to the "Neuroshopping" module);
- in the case of a written exam, four questions with a score from 0 to 7.5 each (two questions related to the "Consumer behavior analysis" module and two more related to the "Neuroshopping" module).
The oral exam will be carried out in the event of a health emergency; otherwise, if the health situation allows the return in presence, the examination will be carried out in writing way.
The written/oral exam will allow to ascertain both the understanding of the subject from a theoretical point of view, and the ability to reason and apply the theory to practical and real cases.
The overall grade of the exam (given by the sum of the scores obtained in the two modules it consists of) will be published on the ESSE3 portal. The results of the individual modules will be published on the Elly portal.
Other information
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