Advanced Seminar Marketing, Strategy, Leadership & Management: Risk Perception and Communication

This seminar is designed to familiarize students with current research in risk perception and risk communication, in particular with regard to health, environmental and natural risks. • Review of relevant concepts from the fields of psychology, economics, and sociology • Individual judgements about risks • Social mechanisms underlying public discourse and stigma regarding potentially risky technologies • Overview of media effect research and the role of media • Communication of risks and crisis • Public and consumer perception of risks • Methodological approaches in research on issue management and crisis communication • Individual judgements about risks • Social mechanisms underlying public discourse and stigma regarding potentially risky technologies • Overview of media effect research and the role of media • Communication of risks and crisis • Public and consumer perception of risks • Methodological approaches in research on issue management and crisis communication, with a focus on analysis of Twitter and other online data

At the end of the lecture students will be able to describe how individuals make judgements about risks and relate this knowledge to relevant concepts from psychology, economics and marketing. In addition, students will be able to explain social mechanisms underlying public discourse and stigma regarding potentially risky technologies. Approaches in media effect research build the basis for students to evaluate the role of media in the social amplification of risk. Furthermore, students will be able to critically analyze how information on risks and crisis is perceived by consumers. In this context, students will be able to develop a research design to study issue management and crisis communication. Hence, students will be able to understand and practically apply theories in the field of risk perception and communication.

Grading is based, in equal shares, on a written seminar paper (~15 pages) (50%) and a presentation (50%) in front of the class (~20 min.). Through the seminar paper as well as the presentation the students demonstrate that they are able to develop research questions and a corresponding methodology to analyze topics and issue management in risk perception and communication. They show that they can identify and use appropriate data sources. By presenting their findings in front of the class, students prove that they are able to summarize their key findings in a concise manner and to respond to further questions on their topics.

Consumer Behavior, empirical research methods such as Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Consumer Research

During the lectures the contents are delivered via presentations, practical exercises and case studies. Group discussion will play an important role in this course which will be based on research articles and/or book chapters that should be read before the respective class.