MKT 310 — Consumer Behaviour
Assignment 3: Individual Case Study Analysis | Spring Semester 2026
College of Business Administration · Undergraduate Programme
Weight: 20% of final grade | Length: 1,000–1,200 words | Due: End of Week 9, via LMS | Citation style: APA 7th Edition | Min. references: 4 peer-reviewed sources | File format: MS Word (.docx) or PDF
1. Overview and Purpose
Consumer behaviour is, at its core, about people. It asks why individuals choose one product over another, what they are actually responding to when they say a brand “feels right,” and how social, cultural, and psychological factors shape decisions that consumers themselves may not fully recognise. Getting to grips with these questions matters not only in academic terms but also in applied marketing practice, where poorly understood audiences tend to lead to campaigns that miss the mark in predictable and preventable ways.
Assignment 3 asks you to apply the theoretical models covered in Weeks 5 to 8 to a real consumer behaviour scenario. Rather than writing a general essay about consumer theory, you will select a specific product category and a specific target segment, then work through the consumer decision-making process as it plausibly applies to that combination. The aim is to demonstrate that you can move from theory to application with precision and without reducing the models to simple checklists.
2. Learning Outcomes Assessed
- LO 2: Explain the psychological, social, and cultural factors that shape consumer decision-making.
- LO 4: Apply the consumer decision-making process model to a selected product category and consumer segment.
- LO 5: Critically assess the assumptions embedded in consumer behaviour models and consider where those assumptions may not hold.
- LO 7: Produce a well-structured, evidence-based written analysis using appropriate academic sources in APA 7th Edition format.
3. The Task
Select a product category and a defined consumer segment from the options listed below. Using course theory and peer-reviewed academic sources, write a case study analysis that works through all five stages of the consumer decision-making process as it applies to your chosen combination. Your analysis should go beyond describing what each stage involves in general terms. Demonstrate how the stage operates specifically for your product and segment, supported by evidence from the literature.
Choose one product category:
- Smartphone upgrade (mid-range, AED 1,500–2,500 bracket)
- Health and wellness subscription app
- Fast-fashion clothing purchase
- Premium coffee (specialty café vs. supermarket brand decision)
Choose one consumer segment:
- University students aged 18 to 24 in a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country
- Dual-income households, aged 30 to 45, residing in urban areas
- First-generation digital consumers in an emerging market context
You are free to combine any product category with any segment, and the combination you choose should feel genuinely interesting to you. Forced or implausible combinations tend to produce thin analysis.
4. Structure and Content Requirements
Your analysis should cover all four areas below. You do not need to use these as separate headings, though clear signposting is encouraged.
Part A — Consumer segment profile (approx. 150–180 words) Describe the segment you have selected with enough specificity to ground the rest of the analysis. Relevant factors might include age, digital habits, income range, cultural context, or attitudes toward the product category in question. Draw on at least one source to support the characterisation. Avoid describing a segment so broadly that the profile could apply to almost anyone.
Part B — The decision-making process (approx. 500–550 words) Work through all five stages of the consumer decision-making model: problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, the purchase decision, and post-purchase behaviour. For each stage, explain what is happening for your chosen consumer and product combination, what factors appear to be driving or shaping behaviour at that stage, and which theoretical concept from the course best explains it. Possible concepts include involvement theory, the elaboration likelihood model, attitude formation, social influence, cognitive dissonance, brand loyalty, or reference group effects, among others. Not every concept will apply to every scenario, and selectivity tends to produce stronger analysis than attempting to include everything.
Part C — Factors shaping the process (approx. 200–250 words) Identify two or three internal or external factors that appear to have a significant influence on how this segment approaches the purchase. Internal factors might include perception, motivation, or self-concept. External factors might include culture, subculture, reference groups, or situational influences such as time pressure or physical environment. Explain the mechanism clearly: it is not enough to say that culture affects behaviour. Articulate how and through what process.
Part D — Limitations and critical reflection (approx. 150–180 words) The consumer decision-making process model has been criticised for presenting purchase behaviour as more rational and linear than it often is in practice. Reflect briefly on at least one respect in which the model may not fully account for the behaviour of your chosen segment. Draw on a source that has raised similar questions. A focused, honest reflection is more persuasive here than an attempt to defend the model against all possible objections.
Note: Students sometimes try to cover all five decision-making stages in equal depth and end up with a rushed analysis that treats each stage in two sentences. The evaluation of alternatives and the post-purchase stages in particular often reward closer attention in consumer behaviour analysis, because that is where many of the most interesting psychological processes operate. Consider allocating your words accordingly.
5. Formatting Requirements
- Word count: 1,000–1,200 words (excluding reference list, title page, and any appendices)
- Font: Arial or Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced
- Margins: 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides
- Include a title page with your name, student ID, course name, course code, instructor name, and submission date
- Section headings are recommended for clarity
- All citations and the reference list must follow APA 7th Edition
- A minimum of four peer-reviewed academic sources are required
- Name your file: LastName_FirstName_MKT310_A3.docx
6. Submission Instructions
Submit through the course LMS portal by 11:59 PM at the end of Week 9. Late submissions are penalised 10% per calendar day unless a written extension has been granted before the deadline. Email submissions are not accepted. If you experience technical difficulties with the LMS, contact the IT helpdesk before the deadline and retain a copy of your support ticket as evidence.
7. Academic Integrity
All submitted work must be your own. The assignment will be run through a similarity-detection tool. AI writing assistants may not be used to generate, rewrite, or substantially revise assignment content under the current course policy. If you have questions about what constitutes acceptable use of sources or tools, consult your instructor or the relevant section of the course syllabus before submitting.
8. Grading Rubric
| Criterion | Weight | Excellent (90–100%) | Proficient (70–89%) | Developing (50–69%) | Insufficient (<50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer segment profile | 10% | Specific, well-grounded profile with clear relevance to the analysis that follows; supported by at least one credible source | Profile present and adequate; may lack some specificity or a supporting source | Profile too vague or generic to anchor the analysis meaningfully | No profile, or profile could apply to virtually any consumer |
| Application of decision-making process | 35% | All five stages addressed with precision and clear product-segment specificity; theoretical concepts applied correctly and selectively | All five stages covered; application mostly specific; one or two stages may be underdeveloped or loosely connected to theory | Stages described more than applied; limited connection between theory and the specific scenario | Stages missing, generic, or described only in textbook terms with no real application |
| Identification and explanation of influencing factors | 25% | Two to three factors identified with a clear explanation of mechanism; distinction between internal and external factors is accurate | Factors identified and connected to the scenario; explanation of mechanism present but may lack precision | Factors listed but mechanism unclear or only superficially explained | Factors absent or misidentified; no explanation of mechanism |
| Critical reflection and use of sources | 20% | Thoughtful, focused reflection on a genuine model limitation; supported by relevant academic evidence; avoids overstatement | Reflection present with some evidence; may be slightly underdeveloped or rely too heavily on one source | Reflection attempted but superficial; minimal engagement with the literature | No critical reflection; entirely descriptive; no academic sources used |
| Writing quality and APA format | 10% | Clear, well-structured academic writing throughout; APA citations correct; word count within range | Writing generally clear; minor APA errors; close to word range | Writing unclear in places; significant APA errors or citation missing | Writing impedes understanding; no citations; well outside word count |
9. References / Learning Materials (APA 7th Edition)
- Hoyer, W. D., MacInnis, D. J., & Pieters, R. (2018). Consumer behavior (7th ed.). Cengage Learning. https://www.cengage.com/c/consumer-behavior-7e-hoyer/9781305507272
- Schiffman, L. G., & Wisenblit, J. (2019). Consumer behavior (12th ed.). Pearson Education. https://elibrary.pearson.de/book/99.150005/9781292269269
- Lim, W. M., Kumar, S., Pandey, N., Verma, D., & Kumar, D. (2023). Evolution and trends in consumer behaviour: Insights from Journal of Consumer Behaviour. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 22(1), 217–232. Wiley Online Library https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2118
- Ebrahimi, P., Khajeheian, D., Soleimani, M., Gholampour, A., & Fekete-Farkas, M. (2023). User engagement in social network platforms: What key strategic factors determine online consumer purchase behaviour? Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 36(1), Article 2106264. Illinois