Consumption, Markets and Culture
| Module title | Consumption, Markets and Culture |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM164 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Zahra Rebai () |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 80 |
|---|
Module description
*Please note this module descriptor is for the 21/22 academic year*
Summary:
This module will equip future marketing practitioners with the skills and knowledge to understand the interactions that occur between the market, consumers and the marketplace. The focus of this module centres on cultural approaches to understanding the relationship between consumers and brands. By focusing on key themes such as trust, choice and sustainability we will explore marketing in its historical and socio-cultural context.
A key part of our approach will be the Book Club. With a choice of popular texts, the Book Club will seek to understand, explore and share our understanding of some of the fundamental themes that impact upon marketing in the 21st century.
Sustainability:
A key consideration to consumption practices is the notion of sustainability. In this course we will consider the ethics surrounding consumption practices and its relationship to sustainable environments.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will equip future marketing practitioners with the skills and knowledge to understand the interactions that occur between the market, consumers and the marketplace. By examining the core themes that underpin modern consumption, students will gain a rich and deep understanding of consumer needs, marketplace practices and future challenges.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. have an understanding of marketing not just as a management practice but also as highly influential and intersecting with political, economic, technological and societal issues;
- 2. devise, sustain and justify arguments relating to broader social issues relevant to marketing practice;
- 3. have a clear grasp of a wide range of literature and debates associated with consumption, markets and culture;
- 4. recognise the significance of particular theoretical and/or practical strands within recent marketing research.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. bring original ideas, and make some novel links between academic literature of a wide variety of forms and traditions;
- 6. relate theories to specific case studies, research data, literature bases and also to mainstream political, cultural and popular discourse;
- 7. sketch relatively large academic debates with clarity and coherence.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. have the practical ability to analyse, communicate and present ideas, theories and principles;
- 9. have the initiative and ability to make connections and synthesise ideas and issues from a much larger body of work;
- 10. develop independent/self-directed learning skills, including time management, working to deadlines, and keeping abreast of a wide range of literature.
Syllabus plan
The syllabus centres around the 5 key themes within the module. These are:
- Sustainability
- Culture & Identity
- Choice
- Privacy
- Trust
- Both the course content and the Book Club choices will examine and explore these 5 areas.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 124 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 20 | Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity | 6 | Tutortials |
| Guided Independent Study | 124 | Reading, researching and writing assignments |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation in group work | Seminars and 20 minute report back | 1-9 | In-class Verbal Feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 70 | 2,500 words | 1-10 | Written feedback |
| Reflection on group work | 30 | 1,250 words | 8-9 | Written feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay (70%) | A re-submission of the Written Paper (2,500 words, 70%) | 1-10 | Referral/Deferral Period |
| Reflection on group work (30%) | Book report (1,250 words, 30%) | 8,9 | Referral/Deferral Period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Potential texts include:
Smart, B (2010) Consumer Society: critical Issues and environmental consequences. Sage. London
Sanborn, F.W. and Harris R.J. (2019) A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication: Second Edition. Routledge:Abingdon
Example Book Group texts include:
Carr, N G.(2010) The shallows :what the Internet is doing to our brains. New York : W.W. Norton,
Schwartz, B. (2004) The paradox of choice : why more is less. New York :Ecco.
Botsman, R. (2018) Who can you trust. London: Penguin Books
Cialdini, R. B. (1993). Influence: Science and practice (3rd ed.). New York, NY, US: HarperCollins College Publishers.
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | Yes |
| Origin date | 17/07/2014 |
| Last revision date | 25/01/2021 |
