Modules for course C8CM | MSC/CPSBUS
MSc Consumer Psychology with Business

Compulsory Modules

Semester 1

• PCP-4004: Consumer Psychology: Theory (20) Core
  Introduction to Consumer Psychology; Flavours of research; Perception & Categorisation; The Motivated Consumer; Brands; Advertising; Attention; Decision-making; Atmospherics; Individual presentations (formal). Key research articles will be distributed via Blackboard during the semester. It will be assumed that students have access to the required textbook. The examination will be based on the material covered in both of the following texts, the material presented in lectures, and other supplied reading material. TEXTS Required: Kardes, F.R., Cline, T.W., & Cronley, M.L. (2010). Consumer Behavior: Science and Practice (International Edition). China: South-Western Cengage. Recommended: Statt, D, I. (1997). Understanding the Consumer: A Psychological Approach. London, England: MacMillan Press Ltd. Note: The Statt book is dated but it provides a good, basic overview of the topic. It will be particularly useful to students less familiar with psychological terminology.
• PPP-4017: Nudges and Beh Change for Busi (20) Core
  Topics covered in this module will include decision making (results, brain areas, biases, irrationality etc). Choice architectures and how they influence decision making e.g. message framing. How decision making can be influenced "in the moment" e.g. through nudges and priming and in the "long term" e.g. behaviour change. Issues regarding applying these concepts to real world problems will be discussed througout.
• PRP-4025: Research Project (60) Core

Semester 2

• PRP-4009: Applied Consumer Psych (20) Core
  This module is intended for Masters level students working towards degrees in “Consumer Psychology and Business” or “Business and Consumer Psychology”. The module's aim is to provide practical research experience in consumer psychology and involves hands-on work with viable commercial enterprises. Students are partnered with local companies and are required to design and conduct a practical consumer research project, typically involving fieldwork (e.g., observation, interviews, surveys, focus groups). In completing this module, students learn how to communicate effectively with commercial groups, to develop and propose a feasible theoretically-grounded research project, to collect relevant data, to summarize findings, and to produce clear and effective oral and written reports. Project planning problems and data interpretation issues arising from the various projects are discussed each week so that students experience first hand the consumer issues faced by many companies working in different commercial sectors.
• PRP-4025: Research Project

Optional Modules

60 credits from:

• ASB-4006: Marketing Strategy (15) (Semester 1)
  The philosophy and process of marketing, including service operations; Planning in the marketing environment; Market research to understand the consumer; Organisational Behaviour as Buyers and Suppliers; Creating value for customers; Managing Competition and Managing Products; Communicating Value for Customers, versus Competitors; Implementing Integrated Marketing; Future threats and opportunites? - Internet, International and Integrity.
• ASB-4007: Finance for Managers (15) (Semester 2)
  The different roles of accounting and its relationship to shareholder value and business structure; Measuring and reporting financial performance: the balance sheet and the profit and loss account; Management control and the use of budgets; The role of accounting information in marketing, operating, human resource and accounting decisions; Strategic investment decisions; The management of working capital; Sources of finance & financial markets.
• ASB-4010: New Venture Creation (15) (Semester 2)
  Entrepreneurship theory and evolution of the concept; Starting your own business; Creativity and Innovation; Franchising; Buying a business; Succeeding in family business.
• PRP-4014: Advanced Research Methods (20) (Semester 2)
  The content of the course will comprise of the following elements: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, Qualitative Analysis, Single-Case Designs, Advanced Regression, ANOVA and ANCOVA, Repeated-measures and Mixed ANOVA, Categorical data & Logistic Regression, Factor, Cluster, & Reliability Analysis, MANOVA & Discriminant Function Analysis, Path Analysis & Structural Equation Modelling, Statistical Power & Effect Sizes, Statistics & Experimental Design. Reading List Field, A. (2009) Discovering Statistics Using SPSS (3rd Ed.). Sage (Essential) Tabachnick, B. &Fidell, L. (2007). Using Multivariate Statistics (5th Ed.) Pearson. (Further reading)
• ASB-4030: Knowledge Management (15) (Semester 2)
  An introduction to the current state of KM within organisations including Knowledge Intensive Firms, the role of Knowledge Managers, Chief Knowledge Officers and perspectives of Knowledge Workers. Introduction to key terms such as knowledge, information and learning; and the historical context of Knowledge Management. Ontologies and Epistemologies of Knowledge and how this informs Knowledge Management Strategy. The process of Knowledge Management and Organisational Learning; and the role of the HR/ KM and CKO within this. Knowledge Management Strategies; inc codification and personalisation, and typologies of KM Strategy. Organisational memory and unlearning. Socio-cultural issues related to managing and sharing knowledge within organisations including Communities of Practice, Share/Hoard Dilemma and the issues of politics, power and culture The important role of HRM for KM; particularly in terms of recruiting, rewarding and retaining knowledge workers, leading& motivating knowledge workers and relations issues within the KM contract. The important roles of ICT, with emphasis on Social Media, in KM and how ICT & Social Media is increasingly used for collecting, storing, disseminating and representing formal and informal knowledge within the workplace. Emergent issues relating to International Knowledge Management and sharing across cultures The challenges of valuing knowledge Personal Knowledge Management
• ASB-4413: Int'l Strategic Management (15) (Semester 1)
  The concepts of strategic management. The vocabulary of strategy; prescriptive and emergent strategies. Strategy, the organisation and the environment. The core processes: strategic analysis; strategy formulation; strategic choice. Vertical integration; make/buy decision; corporate parenting and internationalisation.
• ASB-4426: Contemporary Issues in Mgmt (15) (Semester 2)
  Ethical dilemmas in management and organisation (critical management studies); Changing organisation structures and the implications for management; Managing across cultures; Contemporary approaches to leadership; Managing complexity and change; Managing for sustainability.
• ASB-4431: Organisations and People (15) (Semester 1)
  Theories and models of management: classical and contemporary; Organisation structures: strategy, design and function, job design; Organisation cultures: values, ethics, norms of behaviour; Organisation processes: survival, change, growth and development; Organisational learning, and learning organisations; Individual differences: perception, learning, motivation, equality and diversity; Groups and teams in the organisation; Managing relationships: power, control and conflict resolution, communication; Managers as leaders, people developers, coaches; Managing and rewarding performance.
• ASB-4439: International Marketing (15) (Semester 2)
  1. Introduction to international marketing; 2. The international marketing environment; 3. Internationalization theories; 4. Factors influencing market entry decisions; 5. Market entry strategies; 6. Building a global brand; 7. International marketing in practice (Case study); 8. Designing the international marketing programme; 9. Implementing the international marketing programme; 10. Issues and trends in international marketing.
• ASB-4440: Consumers in Global & Digital (15) (Semester 2)
  Introduction to consumer behaviour across cultures; The consumer as an individual part 1; The consumer as an individual part 2; Consumer decision-making; The role and impact of culture in consumer behaviour; Cultural theories and cultural value frameworks; The digital marketplace and its impact on consumers; Digital consumer behaviour theory; New trends in digital marketing.
• ASB-4521: Int'l Marketing Communication (15) (Semester 1)
  • Integrated marketing communication; • Application of contemporary communication theory and research methods; • International marketing communications strategies and planning; • Advertising and media planning; • Sales promotion and online marketing communication; • Public relations and exhibitions; • Advertising standardization and adaption; • Implementation and evaluation of integrated marketing communications strategy.
• ASB-4530: Global Brand Management (15) (Semester 1)
  • Introduction to brand management principles and practices • Defining and categorising brands • Brand equity theory • Brand positioning theory • Consumers and brands • Planning and implementing brand management programmes 1 • Planning and implementing brand management programmes 2 • Measuring, interpreting and monitoring brand performance • Growing and sustaining brand equity • Case studies in brand management (presentations)
• Students may chose PPP4019 and/ or PRP4014 instead of a Business module(s).