This course combines elements of marketing, sociology and psychology in order to provide a detailed overview related to the consumer behaviour and its importance in the circular economy. After an introduction to the role of consumer in the marketplace, the course addresses contemporary consumer culture and its globalisation tendency. Next, the course examines how consumers perception affect their understanding of the marketplace, how they use consumption in constructing their sense of self, and how motivations, values and lifestyles affect their actions. The course also analyses the importance of consumer behaviour in shifting to a new paradigm of sustainable economic development. Specifically, it covers the evolution of consumer actions in supporting the transition from a linear to a circular consumption.
The student must be able to:
1) Know the dynamics behind consumer behaviour, understand how individuals use consumption to build their sense of self and identify the role of motivation, values, lifestyles and culture in shaping consumer choices;
2) Apply the knowledge acquired through the identification of internal and external factors involved in the consumer decision-making process, also using case studies;
3) Have independent judgment and ability to interpret consumer behaviour by combining elements of marketing, sociology, psychology and sustainability;
4) Communicate the knowledge acquired through the examination of the dynamics underlying consumer behaviour, the related historical and cultural evolutions, and the related sustainable perspectives;
5) Learning, interpreting and analysing the process behind the selection, purchase, use, and disposal of products and services aimed at satisfying the needs and desires of individuals.