Contemporary Consumer Behaviour - Assessment Brief

Module Title: Contemporary Consumer Behaviour

Module Code: B9MK123

Module Leader: Shaun Hayden

Stage (if relevant): Level 9

Assessment Title: Marketing in the New Normal

Assessment Number (if relevant): 1

Assessment Type: Written

Restrictions on Time/Length: 3000 words

Individual/Group: Individual

Assessment Weighting: 50%

Issue Date: January 2024

Submission Date: Please refer to submission link on Moodle

(Upload to Moodle in PDF Format)
Planned Feedback Date: TBC

Mode of Submission: Electronic (on moodle) PDF ONLY

 “The pandemic will change our world for years after the virus disappears, causing
consumers to rethink their purchase decisions (both large and small). Marketers will
need to respond to life in The New Normal.”
(Solomon, M.R, 2020)

Assessment task:

1) You are to write a report on one of the topics listed below. The report should be
3000 words long and must show evidence of:

● Secondary research to support findings, conclusions and

recommendations.

● There should be evidence of critical analysis in the report component.

● Self-directed academic research should be featured throughout the

report.

● Examples should be integrated where appropriate. Students may also use

statistics where appropriate to support their answers.

The report is to be done individually and must be written in a report style with
appropriate headings and sections making reference to appropriate academic
contexts, theory and literature.

Your options are as follows;

Choice 1:

‘Self-concept is the person’s ideas and feelings about him/herself. It has an important
role to play in understanding consumer behaviour, since people will buy products,
which contribute to their self-concept. The consumption of products and services
contributes to the definition of the self’
Examining a particular industry, critically analyse the importance of understanding
and utilising self-concept in their marketing strategy “post pandemic”. The
integration of theories and academic references is expected.

OR

Choice 2:

‘Perception is the process by which individuals select, organise, and interpret stimuli
into a meaningful and coherent picture of the world. Perception has strategy
implications for marketers because consumers make decisions based on what they
perceive rather than on the basis of objective reality’.

Critically analyse using one retail brand of your choice (The brand must have a
physical store) how they use perception as a competitive tool post pandemic. Virtual
presence should be taken into account. Reference & application of underpinning
theory is required.

Students must submit an original piece of work.

● The write-up shall clearly exhibit students’ own understanding and synthesis

of the material provided.

● Write up will be graded on clarity of thought and expression, strength of

ideas, logic and argument, as well as evidence of originality.

ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES:

1. Polish the ability to read and understand theoretical material.

 2. Create an ability to synthesize theoretical material and connect it to real
world events.
3. Produce a written document focused on a singular theme.

o Assessment Criteria
Introduction 5%

● Do the students clearly identify and explain their chosen subject area and

present their objectives for their analysis proposing what they will endeavour
to discover?

Theory & Analysis 60%

● Do the students analyse and present the core theoretical perspectives?

● Do they make considerations for differences in points of views or theoretical

angles?

● Are they able to select and integrate relevant literature & examples from

consumption phenomena and connect to the CCB theory they have analysed?

Research 10%
● Has the student considered a variety of secondary research?
● Is there evidence of observation, synthesis and creative thinking?

Conclusions and discussion 20%

▪ When students are making their own observations and opinions, are they

emerging out of the literature reviewed, well-argued and applied

appropriately to their chosen brand/company or industry?

▪ Are proper rationales provided for their opinions?

Housekeeping 5%

● Ability to sustain a logical thread throughout the commentary

● Neatness, presentation and prose

● Referencing. Are all cited sources referenced using Harvard?

● Spelling

General Requirements for Students:

1. A proportion of assessment marks is allocated to presentation. All

assignments must be word-processed, with word count noted unless
otherwise stated by the lecturer.

2. Where a hardcopy submission is required, an Assignment Submission Form

must be securely attached to each submission.

3. All assignments must be submitted no later than the stated deadline.

Assignments submitted after the deadline published in the assessment

specification, including any extension, are deemed to be ‘late’ and are
penalised, as follows:
a. Where an assignment is submitted between 1 and 14 days late 2 marks
a day are deducted.

b. Where an assessment is more than 14 days late it is annotated at the

discretion of the lecturer but no marks can be awarded.

c. Where the assessment is undertaken in a group, the piece of work

should be submitted in its complete entirety, and any penalty for late
submission incurred applies to all group members.

d. Where two or more students present a joint assignment, then each

student in the group is required to retain a copy of the entire assignment.
 Each member of the group will receive an individual grade for a group
assignment.

4. All relevant provisions of the Assessment Regulations must be complied with.

5. Extensions to assignment submission deadlines will be not be granted, other

than in exceptional circumstances. To apply for an extension please go to
http://www.dbs-students.com/Registrar/ and download the Assignment
Extension Request Form. Once completed this form should then be returned
to your Programme Leader, for approval.

6. Students are required to retain a copy of each assignment submitted, and the
submission receipt (If a physical submission is required) until the issuing of a
transcript indicating the mark awarded.

7. Assignments must be appropriately packaged and presented.

8. Where a submission involves digital media, it is the submitting students’

responsibility to ensure the media is appropriately labelled, fully working and
they must retain a copy.

9. Assignments that breach the word count requirements will be penalised.

There is a 10% discretion, either way, applicable in terms of word count.

10. Students are required to refer to the assessment regulations in their Student
Guides and on the Student Website.

11. Dublin Business School penalises students who engage in academic

impropriety (i.e. plagiarism, collusion and/or copying).

12. To prevent plagiarism please follow this link to the Harvard/OSCALA (delete
as appropriate) Style Referencing Guide - all referencing is required in this format.

● http://issuu.com/dbslibrary/docs/harvard-referencing-

guide/1?mode=a_p

(Guide on referencing is also available under DBS library guides at

www.library.dbs.ie)
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