Module Code: H9SCC
Long Title The Social Conscience of the Consumer
Title The Social Conscience of the Consumer
Module Level: LEVEL 9
EQF Level: 7
EHEA Level: Second Cycle
Credits: 5
Module Coordinator: CORINA SHEERIN
Module Author: Darren Devereux
Departments: School of Business
Specifications of the qualifications and experience required of staff  
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 To evaluate relevant critical, theoretical and contextual research at the forefront of the field.
LO2 To develop a systematic and critical understanding of consumption as a social process.
LO3 To assess the merits of contrasting theories, explanations and policies within the 'politics of consumption' debate.
LO4 To critically examine the development of consumerism and materialism in society.
LO5 To appraise recent corporate social responsibility programmes locally and globally.
LO6 To apply and appraise appropriate ethical decision-making models to explore various resolutions to ethical problems in business.
LO7 To source relevant academic literature and industry research, critically interpret and apply this knowledge in light of contemporary issues written about the ethical and political consumer.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is required before enrolment on this module. While the prior learning is expressed as named NCI module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named module(s).

No recommendations listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Entry requirements  
 

Module Content & Assessment

Indicative Content
Introduction
Introducing Ethical Consumption
Politics
What's wrong with ethical consumption? Ethical Consumption as anti consumption. The commodification of poverty and the marketing of handicrafts on the internet. Neoliberalism, the 'obesity epidemic' and the challlenge to theory.
Commodities and materiality
Placing alternative consumption: commodity fetishism in Borough fine foods market, London. Feeding the world: Towards a messy ethics of eating. Drinking to live: the work of ethically branded bottled water Ethical consumption, sustainable production and wine. Eco-electronic consumption in the smart-design economy. The ethics of second-hand consumption. Is green the new black? Exploring ethical fashion consumption.
Practices, Sites, and Representations
Slow living and the temporalities of sustainable consumption. Ethical consumption begins at home: green renovations, eco-homes and sustainable home improvement. Cultivating citizen-subjects through collective praxis: organised gardening projects in Australia and the Philippines. Lifestyle television: gardening and good life. 'Caring at a distance': the ambiguity and negotiations of ethical investments. The moral terrains of ecotourism and the ethics of consumption.
The use and effects of consumer boycott
The boycott tactic. Consumer boycotts of business. Effectiveness in the use of boycotts and management responses.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Capitalism, consumer sovereignty, and agency Social control of business Business Case for CSR Community relations Corporate citizenship Corporate sustainability strategies Green marketing vs greenwashing Social and Societal Marketing Triple Bottom Line
Assessment Breakdown%
Coursework40.00%
End of Module Assessment60.00%

Assessments

Full Time

Coursework
Assessment Type: Case Study % of total: 40
Assessment Date: n/a Outcome addressed: 1,5,6,7
Non-Marked: No
Assessment Description:
Learners are required to dissect, interpret, and offer critical analysis on a contemporary case study. Using relevant theories and models, students will be tasked with producing written reports and/or presentations that demonstrates the learner's ability to synthesise and critically evaluate sourced material. Furthermore, where appropriate learners will need to argue their reasoning for proposing certain strategies/tactics in favour of others and prepare arguments for their choice.
End of Module Assessment
Assessment Type: Terminal Exam % of total: 60
Assessment Date: End-of-Semester Outcome addressed: 1,2,3,4,7
Non-Marked: No
Assessment Description:
The exam duration will be two hours. The exam requires the student to answer ten short answer MCQ questions. Each question is worth one mark, and two essay type question. Each essay type question is worth 25 marks.
No Workplace Assessment
Reassessment Requirement
Repeat failed items
The student must repeat any item failed

NCIRL reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Module Target Workload Hours 0 Hours
Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Workload Description Hours Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture No Description 30 Every Week 30.00
Independent Learning No Description 95 Every Week 95.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 30.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Workload Description Hours Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload
Lecture No Description 30 Every Week 30.00
Independent Learning No Description 95 Every Week 95.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 30.00
 

Module Resources

Recommended Book Resources
  • Tania Lewis (Editor), Emily Potter (Editor). (2010), Ethical Consumption, Routledge, p.312, [ISBN: 0415558255].
  • N. Craig Smith. (2014), Morality and the Market (Routledge Revivals): Consumer Pressure for Corporate Accountability, 1. Routledge, p.364.
  • Suzanne Benn, Dianne Bolton. (2011), Key Concepts in Corporate Social Responsibility, Sage Publications Ltd, p.248, [ISBN: 9781847879288].
Supplementary Book Resources
  • Francis O'Donnell.. (2011), Corporate social responsibility and Shell in Ireland, London; Cambridge Scholars, [ISBN: 1443832219].
  • Andrew Crane, Dirk Matten. (2010), Business Ethics, Oxford University Press, USA, p.624, [ISBN: 9780199564330].
  • Dara O'Rourke. (2012), Shopping for Good, The MIT Press, p.120, [ISBN: 9780262018418].
  • edited by Michelle Micheletti, Andreas Follesdal, Dietlind Stolle. (2003), Politics, products, and markets, New Brunswick, N.J. ; Transaction Publishers, c2004., [ISBN: 0765802007].
  • Michele Micheletti. (2010), Political Virtue and Shopping, Palgrave Macmillan, p.322, [ISBN: 0230102700].
  • edited by David A. Crocker and Toby Linden. (1998), Ethics of consumption, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, Md., [ISBN: 0847684954].
  • David T. Schwartz. (2010), Consuming choices, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Lanham, Md., [ISBN: 0742548147].
This module does not have any article/paper resources
Other Resources
  • [Journal], Journal of Consumer Research.
  • [Journal], Journal of Consumer Psychology.
  • [Journal], Journal of Marketing.
  • [Journal], Journal of Marketing Research.
  • [Journal], Journal of Advertising.
  • [Journal], Journal of Retailing.
  • [Journal], European Journal of Marketing.
  • [Journal], Consumption Markets and Culture.
  • [Journal], Journal of Macro Marketing.
  • [Journal], Academy of Management Journal.
  • [Journal], Academy of Management Review.
  • [Journal], Journal of Management.
  • [Journal], Business and Society.
  • [Journal], Journal of Business Ethics.
  • [Website], WARC,
Discussion Note: