Consumer Behaviour

This subject is available under ICMS undergraduate degrees, please click the button below to find an undergraduate course for you.

Subject Code:

MKT102A/MKT102B

Note: Both A and B code subject versions are displayed as they are approved equivalent in content, assessments and learning outcomes. As ICMS courses are reaccredited, the subject is updated to a B-code suffix. Students studying a Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Business (Sports Management), Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship and Innovation), Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Bachelor of Business (International Tourism) and Bachelor of Hospitality Management will be enrolled in MKT102B in 2027. Students enrolled in all other courses at ICMS with this subject will complete MKT102A.This arrangement applies to the nested Diploma qualifications of these courses also.

Subject Rationale:

MKT102A

Success in the market place depends on a company’s ability to attract, satisfy and retain its customers. To grow, the business must reinvent itself in the eyes of the consumer, adapting quickly and flexibly to changing needs and circumstances.

Understanding what products and product attributes customers currently desire, and what they may desire due to emerging social trends, keeps businesses at the leading edge of consumer behaviour and product research. This subject will equip you with the skills to understand consumers as buyers and thus manage product portfolios efficiently.

The overall aim of the subject is to understand what influences consumer behaviour and psychology and apply that to the marketing process.

The topics examined range from the psychology of purchasing decisions to the resulting impacts on product or service development, equipping graduates with the skills necessary for future roles in marketing. You will understand how to apply current research to actual marketing issues.

MKT102B

Consumer Behaviour is the study of how and why individuals and groups make decisions about what they buy, use and dispose of. It explores the psychological, social, and cultural factors that shape consumer actions, offering deep insights into the mind of the customer. In an increasingly complex marketplace, understanding these behaviours is essential for developing products, services, and experiences that truly resonate.

In this subject, students will examine key concepts like perception, motivation, personality, attitudes, and decision-making processes, with a strong emphasis on real-world applications. Students will also explore how digital platforms, social influences, and emerging technologies like AI and virtual reality are changing the way people interact with brands and content.

Whether pursuing a career in marketing, entrepreneurship, product development, or communications, this subject will equip students with the skills to interpret consumer insights and apply them strategically. It encourages critical thinking, creativity, and ethical awareness—tools students will need to connect meaningfully with audiences in today’s fast-moving world. The topics range from mindful consumption, internal and external influences affecting decisions to the resulting impacts on product or service development, equipping graduates with the skills necessary for future roles in marketing.

Learning Outcomes:

MKT102A

a) Discuss the relevance of consumer behaviour and psychology to marketing.
b) Relate concepts of internal influences such as; motivation, perception and attitudes to decision making in the marketing environment.
c) Relate concepts of external and environmental influences to decision making in the marketing environment.
d) Discuss the changing nature of consumer behaviour across technology, sustainability and privacy.

MKT102B

a) Investigate and apply consumer behaviour and psychology concepts to basic marketing decisions.
b) Critically evaluate consumer behaviour theory for real-world consumption experiences.
c) Analyse a range of external and internal influences on consumer behaviour.
d) Discuss the changing nature of consumer behaviour across technology, sustainability and privacy.

Student Assessment:

Note: (G) = Group assessment