Instructions
Assignment #3 (15% of the grade)
Topic: Written Assignment #3 Identifying Good Personal Selling
by Observing Consumer Behavior Individual Factors at Work.
Background
Effective personal selling is about shaping (some call it manipulating) Consumer Behavior. Knowing what individual variables a consumer possesses can help a sales person tailor their pitch or approach. For this assignment, you need to watch one hour of a network selling channel (QVC or Home Shopping Network) or watch at least an hour-long infomercial. Note which individual influences that the host targets in their pitch process. Do they use self concept, how the consumer would feel or how the consumer would look at among their peers?(to name a few) There is a plethora of ways that these “hosts” sell products. Look for those individual difference variables that are unique to the individual and those that influence behavior. These variables include:
1. personality
2. self-concept
3. psychographics
4. involvement
5. motivation
6. beliefs and attitudes
7. perception
8. learning
Personality can be thought of as those thoughts, feelings, traits, emotions, and characteristics that identify us as individuals. Self-concept, while an elusive concept, essentially describes all of the thoughts and feelings we have about ourselves. Psychographics attempts to understand consumers based on their lifestyle, i.e., how they live, work, and play. Psychographics also examines an individual’s attitudes, opinions, and interests. Level of involvement can have a dramatic impact on consumer behavior. Essentially, this concept deals with the relative importance of a product, service, or decision from the perspective of the individual consumer. As the importance (involvement) increases, consumers tend to be more deliberate and careful in the decision-making process. Motivation is the driver of action. How a person manipulates perception can be applied through the perception process (do they physically show how the product is sensed and do they demonstrate use situations for interpretation and storage in a consumer’s memory). Last, what type of learning techniques might the host use (classical or operant/instrumental) to give the consumer their marketing message?
Consumers are motivated to act by internal or external stimuli. Typically, these actions are directed at satisfying unfulfilled needs. There is a very strong linkage or relationship among attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. An attitude is a predisposition to react to a stimulus in a consistent manner. In other words, if we are favorably disposed to a product, we are likely to react in a positive way to anything related to that product. Marketers are very interested in attitudes and beliefs because they are highly correlated with behavior in the marketplace. Brand loyalty is one indication of a strong positive attitude in a consumer about a particular brand.
It is important to note that while these factors deal with individual behavior, marketers attempt to group consumers who share the same profile into segments that are large enough to be targeted.
Assignment
Watch one hour of a network selling channel (QVC or Home Shopping Network) or watch at least an hour-long infomercial. Identify the individual difference variables that influenced/shaped the hosts pitch. Identify (using headings) five of the seven factors discussed above that you believe apply. Based on your knowledge of the behavior of other consumers, discuss the individual difference factors that affected their sales approach giving examples of concepts that we’ve learned under each appropriate heading (ex. discuss repetition of message under the heading LEARNING when talking about classical conditioning). Other considerations to discuss under each individual characteristic heading would be how personal sellers use information regarding individual differences to form segments? In your conclusion argue if the personal seller used techniques to show/understanding differing consumer segments for using the product. Also in your conclusion rate the effectiveness of the host (1- not at all effective, through 10- extremely effective), explain the rating. Here are the headings you are required to utilize:
Introduction (explain where, who the host was by name, what time you watched and how you watched, what was the brand/product)
Individual Characteristics (choose only five, don’t include all and give each a heading of it’s own)
1. personality
2. self-concept
3. psychographics
4. involvement
5. motivation
6. beliefs and attitudes
7. perception
8. learning
Conclusion
Submission Requirements
Your assignment must be submitted as follows:
1. Typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, with margins no wider than one inch
2. Between three and four pages in length
3. Prepared with word processing software (Microsoft Word preferred), in a manner similar to the preparation of a written assignment for classroom submission
4. Prepared using an acceptable college-level style guide such as APA, MLA, or UMUC’s Guide to Writing and Research; all of these guides can be found in the virtual UMUC library
5. Presented in such a way that the reader can clearly understand your logic and conclusions.
6. Posted in your Assignments folder not later than midnight on the due date for this assignment, according to the syllabus
7. Use required headings
8. Citations (end/foot notes) within text is required as well as a bibliography at the end of the paper
9. Cover page and bibliography are required but not included in the page limitations.
10. Keep text analysis in the business tradition of a 3rd person voice (no I, me or my, etc).
Written Assignment #3 Identifying Good Personal Selling
Topic: Individual Variables and Consumer Behavior (15% of the final grade)
Grading Rubric:
Requirement/Coverage Points
Overall critical thinking skills, depth of discussion within all headings. Fit of examples for assignment. (15 points)
Introduction (5 points)
Internal Influencer #1 Identification and discussion of individual difference variable personal seller is manipulating and how, for what purpose. Consumer Behavior concept usage and application is important. Support of thoughts with specific examples observed. These points are constraints for each influencer 1-5
(10 points)
Internal Influencer #2 (10 points)
Internal Influencer #3 (10 points)
Internal Influencer #4 (10 points)
Internal Influencer #5 (10 points)
Conclusion/Discussion of Effectiveness of Host (15 points)
Citations, Bibliography, Page count, format, spelling, and grammar. (15 points)
Total (100 points)

PAPER 2
Instructions
Final Project: (35%)

In this two-phased final assignment, students will select a topic from the Unique Ethical Issues from weeks 3, 5, and 7, research the topic and discuss the ethical dilemma in detail.

Phase 2: (30%)
Required Elements of Final Project:
• Using the information from Phase 1, students will thoroughly research the topic and define the ethical concerns in detail.
• Using two of the traditional theories from week 2, suggest potential resolutions to the dilemma(s)
• In the discussion of the resolution, include the impact that ethical relativism and globalization may have upon the suggested dilemma resolution.
• Select the best resolution and explain in detail why.

Required Formatting of Final Project:
This paper should be double-spaced, 12-point font, and six to eight pages in length excluding the title page and reference page;
Title page;
Introductory paragraph and a summary paragraph;
Use headings to demarcate your discussion;
Write in the third person;
Use APA formatting for in-text citations and a reference page. You are expected to paraphrase and not use quotes. Deductions will be taken when quotes are used and found to be unnecessary;
Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.
PHASE 1 Paper for PHASE 2 you will need this paper to do phase 2 The Importance of Ethics in the Workplace
One experiences an ethical dilemma at an instance where they are being penalized for refusing to do something in violation of common morality. As an ethical leader, the individual has to make a decision that does not compromise their inner self, personal values and reflections regarding the issue. Such a decision is in line with the authentic leadership theory. It advices that a leader should be true to oneself and ensure that he remains authentic at all time (Dion, 2012).
Kant’s ethical leadership theory is also consistent with authentic leadership. According to this theory, a leader should only support the right thing regardless of the consequences that can be drawn from such a stand. It recommends that one should follow the rational nature of their values, principles and needs as opposed to punishments that may accompany their actions (Dion, 2012). A leader in this case would still do what is morally right irrespective of the penalties attached
The servant leadership theory is also closely related to ethical leadership (Dion, 2012). It suggests that leaders need to serve their followers and devote themselves to the ethical development of others (Dion, 2012). Choosing to do the right thing in this case promotes the ethical development of followers. In addition, situational leadership theories view leadership as specific to the situation for which it is being implemented (Bischoff, 2010). The situation here is in violation of a common morality and therefore a leader should make a decision based on this specific situation.
In conclusion, an ethical leader would solve the ethical dilemma by choosing the option that does not violate his beliefs, values and common morality (“Ethical Dilemmas”, 1993). This decision can be guided by the classical leadership theories that have been discussed in this text.
References
Dion, M. (2012). Are ethical theories relevant for ethical leadership?. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 33(1), 4-24
Ethical Dilemmas. (1993). Anthropology News, 34(9), 27-27.