MBA 5314: Analysis of Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Behavior

This essay delves into the multifaceted nature of consumer behavior, emphasizing the key factors that influence purchasing decisions. Drawing upon the work of Kotler and Keller, it categorizes these influences into cultural, social, and personal factors. The analysis highlights how cultural elements, including subcultures and social classes, shape consumer preferences and brand choices. Social factors, such as reference groups, family, and social roles, further impact behavior through direct and indirect influence. Personal attributes like age, lifestyle, occupation, income, personality, and self-concept are also examined for their role in shaping buying decisions. The essay concludes by underscoring the importance of understanding consumer behavior for marketers to develop effective strategies, meet unmet needs, and build lasting customer relationships, noting that companies that successfully connect with consumers experience increased cash flow and profitability. Desklib provides a platform to access more solved assignments and study resources for students.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 1
Consumer Behavior
Supreen Chahal
MBA 5314: Marketing Management
Dr. Jim McCleskey
February 17, 2019

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 2
Consumer Behavior
It is the study of the behavior of the consumer’s ways to satisfy their needs by prioritizing,
buying and use of the product. According to Kotler and Keller consumer behavior influenced by:
 Cultural Factors
 Social Factors
 Personal Factors (Kotler & Keller, 2016)
Cultural Factor:
Culture is the essential factor of an individual's needs and conduct. Further, culture has
smaller subcultures in order to know more about the individual specifications. Cultural
subclasses are nationalities, racial groups, religions and geographical locations. Culture and sub
culture has significant influence on consumer buying behavior. For instance, child bringing up in
western countries like United States of America or Canada is exposed to values such as freedom,
external comfort and individualism .Whereas, people growing in other countries might have
unlike values, beliefs and rituals and relationship to others. (Kotler & Keller, 2016)
Social classes are moderately homogeneous and continuing divisions in a general public,
progressively requested and with individuals who share comparative qualities, interests, and
conduct. Members of different social classes illustrate different brand preferences in distinct
areas There are seven ascending levels of social classes in the United Nation of America are
following mentioned:
1. Lower lowers

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 3
2. Upper lowers
3. Working class
4. Middle class
5. Upper middles
6. Lower uppers
7. Upper uppers . (Kotler & Keller, 2016)
Social Factors: Social factors further sub divided into :
 Reference group
 Family
 Social roles and status . (Kotler & Keller, 2016)
Reference Groups
These groups have directly or indirectly impact on the behavior and attitude of the
person. This group has further sub divisions which are primary group and secondary group.
Primary Group includes people who have continuous and informal interaction for instance
friends, family and colleagues. Whereas, Secondary group are people have more formal
interaction such as Professional and religious groups. Aspirational Group are the one who are not
yet the part of the group but are tend to join the group. Dissociative groups are the groups with
behavior the consumer rejects. Consumers essentially not belong in this group however they trust
the recommendations or information of the members in the group. ("Buying Dynamics of
Consumers and Businesses by Kotler and Keller - Noteshelf", 2019)
Family Group: There are two types of family in the buyer’s family:
1.) Family of orientation: This is the weak family category; includes parents and siblings.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 4
2.) Family of procreation: This is the strong family category; includes children and spouse. .
(Kotler & Keller, 2016)
Personal Group: Personal attributes that impacts buyers decision are
 Age and lifestyle
 Occupation and income
 Personality and self-concept. (Kotler & Keller, 2016)
To conclude, the study of consumer behavior helps marketers to improve their marketing
strategies by knowing the unmet needs of the consumer. In addition, it enables companies to
know the consumption pattern of their consumers. Furthermore, it allows identifying the
influential factors whether they are internal or external in order to build a relationship with
the customers. Once customer behavior is recognized, companies create products and
services accordingly that dispense the consumers with more values. Firms who have met the
unmet needs of their consumers and have connected with their clients successfully have seen
immense cash flow and profit.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR 5
References
Buying Dynamics of Consumers and Businesses by Kotler and Keller - Noteshelf. (2019).
Retrieved from http://noteshelf.org/buying-dynamics-consumers-businesses-kotler-keller/
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. (2016). A framework for marketing management (pp. 69-72). Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.