Course

Buyer Behaviour

Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Department
Marketing
Course code
MARK 3215
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15 Weeks
Max class size
35
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Course designation
None
Industry designation
None
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course analyzes buyer behaviour in both organizational and consumer markets. Effects on a firm's marketing strategy when dealing in consumer versus organizational markets are explored. The process buyers go through in searching for, evaluating and purchasing products and services is analyzed. The course also covers researching, delivering and evaluating customer satisfaction and quality service.
Course content
  1. The nature and characteristics of organizational and consumer markets
  2. Influences (internal and external influences, such as environmental, legal, economic, and cultural influences) on buyers, and the implications of these influences for the marketer
  3. Marketing segmentation and targeting
  4. Customer satisfaction and customer-driven marketing philosophy
  5. Buying process and related marketing activities
  6. Theories of motivation, including perception, attitude, culture, organizational philosophy, and corporate values
  7. Organizational dynamics of consumer reference groups, leadership, peer influences, and organizational structure
  8. Buyer strategies for marketing to consumer and organizational markets
Learning activities

This course will be taught using a combination of lectures, videos, class and group discussion, and case analyses.

Means of assessment

Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy.

Term Project        20-30%
Assignments  20-30%
Midterm examination  20-30%
Final examination  20-30%
Total 100%

Students must achieve at least 50% of the combined non-group components in order to obtain credit for the course calculated on a weighted average basis.

Students must complete all projects, assignments and write all examinations in order to be eligible for a passing grade.

Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining informed consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the successful student should be able to:

  1. Analyze the nature, structure, and characteristics of consumer and organizational marketing strategies:
    • For consumer markets through
      • analyzing consumer motivation, perception, learning, personality, attitude formation, and change;
      • explaining the social and cultural dimensions of consumer behaviour;
      • examining the role of the consumer and consumerism in Canadian society;
      • establishing the differences in consumer behaviour that must be considered in global marketing;
    • For organizational markets through
      • assessing the nature, structure, and distinguishing characteristics of organizational marketing strategy;
      • analyzing the process and considerations involved in organizational buying;
      • segmenting organizational markets and analyzing demand factors;
  2. Develop a firm's marketing strategy for both consumer and organizational situations;
  3. Analyze and manage customer satisfaction.
Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Solomon, Michael R. et al., Consumer Behaviour, latest Canadian Ed. Prentice Hall

(and/or other textbook(s) and/or other material approved by the department)

Requisites

Prerequisites

MARK 1120

OR Currently active in:

PDD Sales

Corequisites

None

Equivalencies

None

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers to Other Institutions

Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.

Institution Transfer details for MARK 3215
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU BMKT 364 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU MRKT 1299 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG MARK 2XXX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU BUS 2XX (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV BUS 327 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC COM 2XX (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU MARK 260 (3)

Course Offerings

Fall 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
8
Remaining seats:
27
On waitlist
0
Building
Anvil Office Tower
Room
707
Times:
Start Time
11:30
-
End Time
14:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
2
Remaining seats:
33
On waitlist
0
Building
Anvil Office Tower
Room
907
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
35
Currently enrolled
12
Remaining seats:
23
On waitlist
0
Building
Anvil Office Tower
Room
707
Times:
Start Time
18:30
-
End Time
21:20