Con­sumer In­sights and Be­ha­vi­or­al Stud­ies

Course content

This course in Consumer Insights and Behavioural Studies combines three main learning elements: (1) the course provides students an advanced understanding of how consumers behave by introducing the most relevant theories of consumer behaviour; (2) it gives an overview of essential quantitative research methods to study this behavior; and (3) it provides students with experience in applying the theories and methods, i.e. students conduct their own consumer research project as part of this course.

The course will introduce new perspectives on human behaviour from the fields of behavioural economics, consumer behaviour, and psychology, with a particular focus on sustainable consumption and respective theories and empirical examples.

Beyond these theoretical advancements, the course will provide students the ability to conduct consumer research by providing students with a profound understanding of the entire research process and introduce the most important research methods focusing on a quantitative approach (i.e. surveys and experiments and the respective sampling and data analysis methods). In practical sessions, students will learn to apply the methods of consumer research (sampling, data collection, and data analysis) to specific research problems regarding consumer behaviour in the physical as well as in the digital world.

Students will apply these capabilities in a student-driven research project. Guided by the teachers, students will formulate their research questions to generate novel insights through research, propose a research design to study the problem, and draw conclusions based on the project’s results. The course will also enable students to conduct responsible research by providing students with an overview of relevant ethical considerations surrounding consumer research. Students will become acquainted with documenting their research process and clearly describing their results and methodology in a written report as well as in an oral exam. Through group projects and assignments, students will gain additional skills in team work.