SOCIOLOGY OF CONSUMPTION AND COMMUNICATION
Learning outcomes of the course unit
a. Knowledge and understanding. Students learn to use the categories of analysis of consumer behavior and to understand the complexity of the interrelationships between individual and social dimensions, such as between different determinants of choice.
b. Applying knowledge and understanding. At the end of the course, in addition to general knowledge related to the scenarios of consumption students will acquire the main methods for the analysis of trends, as well as tools for analyzing reports from various sources and answers to specific questions.
c. Making Judgments. Throughout the course, students acquire the independence of judgment required to understand the different communication strategies implemented by the brands and their relationship with the socio-cultural context.
d. Communication Skills. The multidisciplinary approach, the variety of cases considered and presentations done by students in class enables the student to deal with different methods of communication. Specific attention paid to new brand messages enhances the acquisition of communication skills. The use of different materials together with case analysis strengthens the ability to communicate in different contexts, for different purposes. The multidisciplinary approach proposed requires a strong capability to make connections, compare methodologies and results as well as facilitating the development of learning skills. In particular, it stimulates research and the use of different sources, which are useful for analysis (research, secondary data sources, business reports). The course aims to develop independent judgment and ability to interpret several topics about consumption.
Course contents summary
The main topics:
• The determinants of individual an social choices
• Social Trends
• Drivers of consumer behavior: between socio-cultural and technological changes
• New relationships between brand and consumer
• Communication technologies and social sentiments
• Sharing consumption
• Consumption and everyday life: molecular influences, mass influences
• Storytelling and Narrative Marketing
• Advertising and Brand Values
Teaching methods
lessons and seminars
Assessment methods and criteria
A written examination aims to evaluate understanding and knowledge of the proposed issues, the ability to apply the knowledge to specific questions, independence of judgment, communication skills. Finally, the need for handling categories and qualitative information acquired during the course requires students to apply knowledge already possessed, and to learn and to evaluate new information.