NFOK16000U Food Consumer Research

Volume 2017/2018
Education

MSc Programme in Food Innovation and Health

Content

An introduction to food consumer research as a scientific discipline that deals in a multi-disciplinary way with the determinants of consumers' food choices, such as sensory aspects of food, culture, health & nutrition, prices, food-related attitudes, knowledge, values and beliefs.

The importance of product cues will be presented. Students will be introduced to the theories of food choice, including the dual process (reasoned vs automatic) in decision making, and how to practically implement them in food consumer research. Study design for quantitative and qualitative data collection methods will be presented.

Quantitative methods include the design of questionnaires and their application online, visual data analysis, instrumental measurements, etc. The course will include relevant qualitative methods for food innovation and their quality assessment. Appropriate analysis methods will be given for each of the methods, such as statistics and text analysis. The course will focus on solving practical problems related to consumers using mixed methods approach.

Learning Outcome

After completion of the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge

  • Understand and describe the main determinants of food consumption and their interrelation
  • Reflect about different theories of food consumer behaviour
  • Describe the hedonic evaluation of foods
  • Understand and describe other qualitative data collection methods related to food consumer research
  • Students will gain knowledge on the appropriate methods for data analysis focusing on cluster analysis and logistic regression 

 

Skills

  • Able to apply theories of consumer behaviour around food issues in the formulation, design and analysis of questionnaires.
  • Ability to administer questionnaires using IT platforms.
  • Apply different theoretical perspectives for data collection and analysis.
  • Apply principles of experimental design and statistical evaluation of consumer information
  • Segment consumers by their socio-economic status, their attitudes, values, knowledge, hedonic responses to foods, liking of food products, etc.
  • Communicate research results in scientific writing.

 

Competences

  • Students will be able to provide evidence based advice to the industry, the public sector and the societal actors regarding the relevant consumer segments
  • Students will be able to study consumer behaviour in relation to food taking into account individual characteristics.
  • Students will be able to handle data following the ethical standards of Denmark and Europe
  • Students should be able to collaborate and contribute effectively in team work

 

At the end of the course, Students would have designed their own questionaire, thew would have carried out a consumer survey online, have analysed their data using the appropriate statistical methods, and have communicated written and orally their research results.

See Absalon for a list of course literature.

 

It is recommended to have basic statistical knowledge.
Lectures, practical exercises and group work. Theoretical concepts and methods are taught in lectures. Examples of hypothetical consumer problems are worked out in exercises during lecture time. Examples of applications of food consumer research are illustrated with recent scientific papers. Problem-based group work will enable students to apply and/or to reflect on the course’s theories and methods in a practical challenge.
For the data analysis in this course you need a laptop with Windows based operating system.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 9
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 72
  • Project work
  • 60
  • Theory exercises
  • 20
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 30 min
Written examination, 2 hours under invigilation
The exam grade comprises of two parts, the oral presentation by the group of their challenge document (30%) and the individual written examination (70%). The written examination will be a multiple choice questionnaire. Both parts must be passed in order for the student to pass the course.
Exam registration requirements

Submission of the course challenge.

Aid
All aids allowed

If the exam is held as ITX exam at Peter Bangs Vej, students are NOT allowed to bring computers, phones or tablets. USB-stick is allowed.

 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
Re-exam

Same as ordinary. Possibility to re-submit the challenge two weeks before the re-examination.
If 10 or fewer register for the re-examination the examination form will be 100% oral. The oral exam will be 20 minutes in the course curriculum, no preparation time and all aids allowed. For students failing the challenge, an additional oral defence will be allocated of 10 minutes.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome