MKF5911 – Theory and Process of Buyer Behaviour
Assessment 1: Write a Report Based on a Consumer Research Article
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Objectives of the Assignment
Most of the consumer behavior theories you learn from this unit come from rigorous academic research.
The findings of these research projects are usually published in academic journals. In this assessment, you
will read an academic journal article on a consumer behaviour topic and answer a few questions.

Value: 30%
Length Strictly 1,000 words maximum. No 10% margin.
Type Individual assessment
Due Date and
Submission Format
21 March, Friday @ 23:59 (AEST)
You can submit assessment any time before due date/time. There will be
penalty for late submission. 5 marks deduction per 24 hours of delay. A delay
of fewer than 24 hours will be rounded up to 24 hours. Don’t just save a DRAFT
on Moodle, you must SUBMIT it, otherwise you will receive 10 marks
deduction. 10 marks deduction for exceeding the word limit. Heavy penalties
for plagiarism. Include a self-report of word count on the first page or the last
page (e.g., 980 words).
Submission
Microsoft Office Word File
Submit on Moodle. Check the “student statements” box right before clicking
the submit button. Student Statements are equivalent to a coversheet.

File protocol
Microsoft Office Word File. PDF is NOT allowed. You will receive a 10 marks
deduction if you submit a PDF file.

File name
Family name_given name_tutorial day time
E.g., Hemsworth_Chris_Wed 1500
Learning Outcomes #1 & 2

Task

Read the following academic research article. A copy can be found on the unit Moodle site.

Henrik Hagtvedt, & Vanessa M. Patrick. (2008). Art Infusion: The Influence of Visual Art on the
Perception and Evaluation of Consumer Products. Journal of Marketing Research, 45(3), 379–389.

Answers the following questions. You are allowed to write up to 1,000 words. Use only Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4,
Q5 as the headings. Do not copy and paste the questions to the report.




MKF5911 – Theory and Process of Buyer Behaviour
Assessment 1: Write a Report Based on a Consumer Research Article
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Q1. Why does using arts on products increase the perceived luxuriousness of the products? You answer
should be based on this article. You should locate the answer to Q1 in the article and quote those
sentences. You also need to elaborate and further explain those sentences with your own words (i.e., why
those sentences make sense). (20 points)

Q2. The authors used two different types of comparisons to show the Art Infusion Effect is content-
independent. Please explain the two types by answering the following questions. (20 points)
• Q2.1. What is the logic behind each type of comparison? That is, how does each comparison
show the Art Infusion Effect is content-independent?
• Q2.2. Which study(studies) used this type of comparison?
• Q2.3. What are the findings of this study/these studies?

Please stylize your answer with the format below.
Type 1 comparison
• The logic
• The associated studies
• The findings
Type 2 comparison
• The logic
• The associated studies
• The findings

Q3. Have you observed any marketplace applications of the Art Infusion Effect in a context other than
packaging (e.g., study1), advertisement (e.g., study2), and design of goods (e.g., study3)? Please describe
your observations in detail and explain why this should be considered an example of Art Infusion Effect,
and what influences this may have on the consumers’ perceptions and product evaluations. You are
expected to supplement photo(s) to illustrate your observations. (20 points)

Q4. Consumer researchers can use different research settings and participants to test their
theory/hypotheses. In this research, study 1 was conducted in the field with real restaurant customers
whereas studies 2 and 3 were conducted in the lab with undergraduate students. Please list at least 2
benefits for this research to use hybrid settings and participants. (20 points)

Q5. This research mainly focused on western classic visual arts. If brands use non-western arts, pop arts, or
non-visual arts (e.g., music) on products, do you think it will generate increased product evaluation or
increased perception of luxury? Why or why not? Please discuss non-western arts, pop arts, and non-visual
arts separately. (20 points)


Mechanics of report
San Serif Font— Calibri, Arial, Garamond, etc. Font size—12 Line spacing—single
Pages to be numbered bottom right
Academic reference:
Check if the questions explicitly ask for academic references. This may change from semester to semester.
If so, add them. If not, academic references are neither required nor banned. If you directly quote from
another article, book, or website, you must follow the university policy in terms of proper referencing (e.g.,
APA style). Otherwise, you need to paraphrase it. If you include academic references, add a list of references
MKF5911 – Theory and Process of Buyer Behaviour
Assessment 1: Write a Report Based on a Consumer Research Article
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to the end of this document such as on the 4th page. This list of references or the cover page (if you intend
to have an optional cover page) is not counted against either word limit or page limit.
Optional appendix (e.g., photos) can be added on an additional page and not counted in word count.
Your submission does NOT need to follow a professional business report format. It does not require
components such as executive summary, conclusion, etc. Assessments 2 and 3 reports need to be in
business format.

Marking Criteria
Your answers will be marked based on (1) the accuracy of your understanding of the research article, (2) the
quality and comprehensiveness of your answers, and (3) the creativity and relevance of your provided
applications/examples. Timely submission by the due date is expected.


学霸联盟