Module overview
Understanding consumer behaviour and the trends in consumer lifestyles and sub-culture is at the core of creative marketing and management strategy. Being able to define and analyse consumers against a set of classifications enables successful decisions to be made by fashion brands. New technology and a fast changing digital landscape is critically impacting consumer behaviour. In this module you will learn about the new techniques in qualitative and quantitative research that help to inform consumer profiling.
The Consumer Intelligence module will introduce you to the underlying theories, concepts and trends in consumer behaviour and its associated motivations in the fashion industry. Evaluating and challenging current consumer segmentation approaches will be addressed, as well as the visualisation of consumer groups using primary visualisation techniques. You will be introduced to core secondary research that underpins consumer profiling from Acorn, VALS, Mintel and Euromonitor to help you develop a clear pattern of social and cultural influence of the individual and consumer groups.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- How digital, social, cultural and environmental contexts inform current consumer behaviour and lifestyle trends.
- Consumer behaviour, theories, sub-cultures and associated characteristics of consumer profiles;
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Identify, select and manage information from a variety of sources using appropriate academic and learning resources;
- Communicate your ideas coherently in written and visual formats;
- Use creative digital skills and resources effectively to present your ideas.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate collected research to inform your defined consumer profile.
- Develop different approaches to undertaking primary visual research;
Syllabus
Indicative Content for this module will normally include:
- An Introduction of quantitative and qualitative approaches to customer research
- The different ways and approaches to carrying out customer research
- Review the data available for secondary information suppliers (Mintel, Euromonitor, Acorn,etc.,)
- Development of Consumer Profiles and the principles of Segmentation
- Assessing consumer behaviour in relation to digital technology and shopping habits
- Analysis of Consumer Lifestyle Trends and cultural influence on fashion buying behaviour
- Discussions on the advantages and disadvantages of demographic, geographic and psychographic analysis
- Consumer classifications & theories including Acorn, Maslow’s Theory, Theories of Adoption, and VALS
- Fieldwork including observation and primary visualisation
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Project briefings
- Tutorials
- Visual research workshop
Learning activities include
- Lectures
- Seminars
- Group discussion
- Library resources
- Study Skills Hub
- Peer group learning
- Optional Study Visit
- Optional Field Trip Activities
Relationship between teaching, learning and assessment methods and planned learning outcomes
In this module learning and teaching activities focus on helping you to investigate, question and analyse the nature of consumer behaviour, its theories and how this influences both marketing and management strategy in fashion. Feedback on your own progress and development will be given by group discussions, seminars and presentations. Informal feedback will provide opportunities for peer group learning and self-evaluation.
The formal assessment will be a 2500 word illustrated essay on consumer behaviour. The use of your own primary visual images will help you to develop visual research and analysis and to effectively present your critical engagement with consumer theory and practice.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Tutorial | 12 |
| Lecture | 20 |
| Wider reading or practice | 48 |
| Completion of assessment task | 90 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 50 |
| Follow-up work | 60 |
| Seminar | 20 |
| Total study time | 300 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Study Skills. https://www.southampton.ac.uk/uni-life/learning-teaching.page
WARC. http://WARC.Com
Euromonitor. http://Euromonitor.com
Mintel,. http://Mintel.com
Internet Resources
Journal Articles
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal.
Textbooks
Goworek H (2007). Fashion Buying. Blackwell Publishing.
Solomon, M. (2015). Consumer Behaviour: Buying, Having, Being.. Harlow: Pearson..
Solomon M, Rabolt N (2009). Consumer Behaviour: in Fashion. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Jackson, T., & Shaw, D (2009). Mastering Fashion Marketing. Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Yurchisin. J., and Johnson, K. (2010). Fashion and the consumer. Oxford: Berg.
Rath, P.M, Bay S, Petrizzi R & Gill P (2008). The Why of the Buy. New York: Fairchild Books.
Kim. E., Fiore, A. and Kim, H. (2013). Fashion Trends Analysing and Forecasting. London: Bloomsbury..
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Draft piece
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Feedback on the Illustrated Essay will take place through:- •group tutorials with peers and tutors through discussion reflection and critique. Submission of essay proposal for written comments on grademark
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Illustrated essay | 100% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Illustrated essay | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Illustrated essay | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External