General provisions

The course is only available to students within contract education programmes at Master's level.

Entry requirements

Students eligible for registration are those who have studied the Basic Course A, 30 credits and finished a minimum of 15 credits at the time of registration. The course is only available to students within contract education programmes at Master level.

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to generate understanding of consumer marketing and business-to-business activities. After participating in the course the student will get an understanding about and learn to:

• explain the main concepts of consumer behaviour and relate to how companies could understand and translate them in their marketing action

• explain the buying process in companies

• explain how distribution works in B2B markets

• analyse various marketing problems in B2B and B2C markets

• research, present, and discuss various marketing issues

• understand, evaluate and support colleagues in the research and discussion activities.

Content

The course is about marketing and has dual goals: one, it extends the students understanding of marketing with clear focus on consumer behaviour; two, it address the structure and process in business-to-business marketing. In doing so the course will direct attention to compare and contrast the structure and functioning of consumer behaviour and business-to-business behaviour. Furthermore, the course will address the issue of marketing as exchanges with uncertainty, information and knowledge as ingredients for both consumers and companies. We explore through discussions how companies handle business on B2B and B2C markets. We also discuss consumer behaviour from both the perspectives of individuals and how companies could find directions and help from their behaviour patterns in various marketing activities.

Instruction

The course is taught in English. We use lectures, seminars, team assignments, and oral presentations to teach course contents and reach the learning goals. The whole course should be seen as a process and the learning curve depends upon understanding based on classroom work, discussions, group assignments, research etc.

Assessment

Course examination includes written and oral assignments as well as a research paper. Examination includes both individual and team work elements. The course consists of compulsory parts. The final grade of the course is determined after taking into consideration the different parts of the examination. Grading criteria are presented in the study guide provided at the start of the course.

Grades will be given in accordance with the Swedish grading system. The following grades will be used: VG (pass with distinction), G (pass), and U (fail). Assignments and exams handed in late will not be graded. Required supplemental work, if any, must be completed and handed in in accordance with the time-limit set in the study guide, otherwise the entire course (all assignments included) must be redone the next time the course is given, provided there is space in the course.

Uppsala University does not accept cheating and plagiarism. Suspected incidents of cheating or plagiarism are reported to the Disciplinary Committee of the University, which may issue a formal warning to the student or expel the student from the university for a limited period of time.

NOTE: Only completed courses can count towards a degree.

Transitional provisions

The course substitutes/overlaps among others Marketing, Consumer and Companies 2FE205, 2FE221, Marketing 2FE954, 2FE282.