Page 80 - DMGT408DMGT203_Marketing Management

Unit 3: Consumer Markets and Consumer Buying Behaviour

2. Maslow’s Theory: According to Abraham Maslow, human needs are arranged in hierarchy Notes
and people will try to satisfy their most important needs first.

3. Hertzberg’s Theory: Fredrick Hertzberg developed a two factor theory that distinguishes
dissatisfiers and satisfiers. The absence of dissatisfiers is not enough, satisfiers must be
present to motivate a purchase.

Figure 3.3: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

5 Self-
actualisation Needs
(Self-development & realisation)
4 Esteem Needs
(Self-esteem, status, recognition)
3 Social Needs
(Sense of belonging, love)

2 Safety Needs
(Security & protection)
1 Physiological Needs
(Food, water, shelter)

Learning

Learning is viewed as a relatively permanent change in behaviour occurring as a result of
information or experience, both direct and indirect. Schiffman and Kanuk have defined consumer
learning as:

“The process by which individuals acquire the purchase and consumption knowledge and
experience they apply to future related behaviour.”

There are two basic approaches to learning: (1) behavioural approach, and (2) cognitive learning
approach. The emphasis of behavioural learning is on external environmental stimuli, which
are responsible for eliciting the behaviour and minimise the importance of internal psychological
processes. Behavioural learning considers stimulus – response relationship as leading to learning,
and cognitive learning is based on the premise that learning also occurs as a result of mental
activity.

Attitudes

According to Krech and Crutchfield, “An attitude is an enduring organisation of motivational,
emotional, perceptual, and cognitive processes with respect to some aspect of our environment.”
In the context of consumer behaviour, Schiffman and Kanuk have defined attitude as “a learned
predisposition to behave in a consistently favourable or unfavourable way with respect to a
given object.”
Consumers have attitudes toward many things that are relevant to products, brands, companies,
celebrities, advertisements, etc. Attitudes are viewed as quite important in the object evaluation
process, products, or companies and can be favourable or unfavourable feelings and
behavioural inclinations. Research supports the assumption that attitudes strongly affect
consumer behaviour.

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