AIOU Course Code 8605-1 Solved Assignment

Autumn 2021

Course: Educational Leadership and Management

(8605)
Semester: Autumn, 2021
Level: B.Ed
ASSIGNMENT No. 1
Question 1:
Elaborate the spirit of Islamic administration and
educational administration.
Answer:
Spirit of Islamic Administration:
The Holy Quran is the real basis of Islamic life and its actual legislation is very
limited. Muslims are free to legislate as needs arise, in the spirit of social justice.
The few laws in the Holy Quran are often permissive and give large latitudes to
suit any change in circumstances. Qamarudin Khan, Professor of Islamic History,
Karachi University, is of the opinion that “the Holy Quran does not aim to create
a state but to create a society”. So whatever clearly stated laws given by Allah
(SW.T) and His messenger about life and society. No one is allowed to deviate
from them even by a hair’s breath. Calling the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) the
ideal philosopher – king, who surpasses in both theory and practice the qualities
which Plato sought in his ideal, are found from a famous Hadith of the Prophet
Muhammad (S.A.W) as the founder and theoretician of administration of Islamic
state had a unique position as its executive head. In fact he was a legislator
(through divine revelation as well his personal pronouncements and practice all of
which acquired a sacred character for the Muslims), executive as well as a jurist.
He was not answerable to any one as for as the revealed commands were
concerned. But, in the absence of divine revelations, it was his wont to consult his
companions. In fact he was command by Allah (S.W.T) to do so. The Holy Quran
commands the Prophet “And consult them (i.e. those around you) in (important)
matters.
So the two essential and primary ingredients of the Islamic administration theory
are the Ummah and the Shari’ah. These concepts are clearly elaborated in the
Holy Quran. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was himself the focal point of these
two concepts. Therefore, with the death of the Prophet, the Prophecy came to an
end. Thus there was created a gap between the Shariah and the Ummah. The new
link was created by the Ijma of the community in the form of the institution of the
Khilafah which constitutes the third element of Islamic political theory. The
fourth element would be the concept of Dar al-Islam and the Mumin living
therein.
The question arises that Islam favours the theocracy or democracy administrative
setup. Mulana Maududi says, the Islamic theocracy does not mean a rule by any
priestly class but it means common Muslims wielding reigns of power. But the
Muslims have to wield this power in keeping with the Book of Allah (S.W.T) and
Sunnah, of His Prophet. Maududi prefers to call the Islamic form of government
as “theo-democracy”. In this form of government Muslims have been allowed a
limited popular sovereignty under the paramountcy of Allah (S.W.T).
For knowing the Islamic concept of administration, the Islamic state in Medina is
the great example to turn to if one is to resolve the various problems of the
modern Islamic world. According to this view the Islamic state in Medina was
governed pursuant to the divine precepts of Muhammad (S.A.W). Take, as an
example, to the following quotation from Imam Khomeini.
“The most noble Messenger (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him) headed the
executive and administrative institutions of Muslims society. In addition to
conveying revelation and expounding and interpreting the articles of faith and the
ordinances and institutions of Islam, he undertook the implementation of law and
the establishment of the ordinance of Islam, thereby bringing into being the
Islamic state. He did not content himself with the promulgation of law, rather he
implemented it at the same time, cutting off hands and administering lashing and
stoning. After the most noble Messenger, his successor had the same duty and
function”.
Overall to know the Islamic concept of administration a letter of Hazrat Umar the
second caliph of Islam, wrote to the governor of Kufa, Abu Musa Ashari on the
principles of justice. He wrote: administration of justice is a necessary duty. Teat
people equally be it in private audience of public sitting in matters of justice so
that the weak should not despair of your justice and the strong should not hope
for favors. It is for the plaintiff to produce proof and it is for the defendant to
deny on oath. Compromise is permissible provided it does not violate what has
been permitted or prohibited (by Shariah). If you have passed any judgment
yesterday there would be nothing wrong in reversing it today on second thought
in the interest of justice. If it is not there in the Quran or Hadith contemplate
over it deeply taking into account examples. Similar cases and drawing analogies.
Fix a time limit for the plaintiff to produce proof justice be done to him if the
produces proof or else, his case be demised.

Spirit of Educational Administration:

Fayol considered administration as a way to plan, to organize, to command, to
coordinate and to control education.
Planning is an intellectual activity, which is performed on the basis of facts and
principles. It plans its activities in such a way that the objectives for which it has
come into existence can be achieved.
To organize the means of arrangements, by which interrelationship along with
order for people, materials, procedure, knowledge and the work can be done.
Command or to direction involves the execution of plans and decisions and makes
the staff do their work.
Coordination requires harmonizing in a unified manner all the elements involved
in the programme. It seeks the cooperation of all who are involved in the
administration.
By control we can see that everything is carried out in accordance with the rules,
which have been laid down in the instructions, in other words, it is evaluations.
Fayol’s idea was further developed by Gulick and Urwick.
The scope of educational administration is very vast. It includes every thesis
regarding the efficient functioning of the educational institutions, securing the
greatest benefits to the greatest number through an adoption of practical
measures.
It interprets and clarifies the functions and the activities educational programme
in fruitful relationship and also harmonises their mutual action. It ensures sound
educational planning, good direction and efficient and systematic execution.
A good administration is one, which exhibits human activity at its best. The
ingredients of good administration are:
1.Associated performance-Human beings work in close collaboration and
there is sharing of responsibilities.
2.Organized purpose-well-defined purposes are achieved through sharing of
responsibilities.
3.Creativity-through dynamic approach. The group proceeds towards it goal.
4.Achievement – the feeling of achievement makes an administrator to take
more efforts to achieve perfection. Administration also involves different
kinds of activities to achieve its purpose and to perform the functions related
to it.
The purpose of educational administration is to enable an organization or an
institution to carry out its functions with maximum efficiency. It also enables the
right pupils to receive the right education and from the right teachers at a cost
which should be within the means of state, and which will enable the pupils to
profit from their learning. The basic purpose is to bring students and teachers
together under such conditions which will successfully promote the end of the
education. The major purposes are:
I) frame well-defined policies and programmes so that teaching, learning
situation results in the growth and development of human beings.
ii) To make use of appropriate materials to bring about the effective
development of human qualities.
iii) To execute the programmes and activities of the organization so that its
objectives may be achieved.
iv) To assure the growth of children and adults and all the people involved in
the management.

Question 2:
Explain the different theories of management.In
your opinion which theory is better and why?
Discuss.
Answer:
Theories of Management:
Management theories all revolve around similar concepts. Managers are
expected to handle processes, people, information and other duties as necessary.
A manager may need to motivate their subordinate employees or determine how
best to improve operational processes. Management theories provide
frameworks for successfully handling those responsibilities.
Managers must be responsible for the performance of their teams toward
organizational goals. Reaching business goals might include reducing human
error or standardizing processes. Management theories help to clarify these
types of goals for managers and inform on how best to realize those goals.
The different theories of management are classical management theory,
behavioral management theory, quantitative management theory, systems
management theory, contingency management theory, and quality management
theory. The classical management theory focuses on finding the one best way to
perform and manage task. The behavioral management theory recognizes
employees as individuals with concrete human needs, as parts of work groups,
and members of a larger society.

Scientific Management Theory:

Frederick Winslow Taylor developed and published his Scientific Management
Theory in 1909. At its core, scientific management theory believes that it is vital
to find the most effective way to complete each and every task, no matter how
small. In the early 1900s, managers would give orders to their workers with no
guidance on how to accomplish them. Managers and employees rarely, if ever,
had interaction with one another. Taylor believed this was an inefficient way to
operate a business and recommended some key changes.
Taylor argued each task should be completed as efficiently as possible. In
addition, everyone should be assigned a particular job based on their skills and
abilities and must be evaluated based on the quantity and quality of their work.
Taylor did not think it was fair or cost effective to pay every employee the same
amount, regardless of their output. While this may sound like common sense
today, this was a groundbreaking idea in the early 1900s. Another big component
of scientific management theory is the idea of training and development. Taylor
argued it was extremely important to monitor and train your employees on the
tasks they are assigned to. By ensuring your employees are efficient at their
work, the output will be larger and of a higher quality.
Human Relations Management Theory:
As the title implies, Human Relations Management Theory is centered around
human interactions and relationships. Elton Mayo believed that all early
management theories only focused on how money affects employee
performance. He believed there were more factors that influenced how
employees behaved and performed at work. To test his theory, he began a study
at Chicago’s Western Electric Hawthorne Plant in the 1920s and 1930s and
created his own management theory based on his findings which are more
commonly known today as The Hawthorne Effect.

Systems Management Theory:

Systems management offers an alternative approach to the planning and
management of organizations. The systems management theory proposes that
businesses, like the human body, consists of multiple components that work
harmoniously so that the larger system can function optimally. According to the
theory, the success of an organization depends on several key elements: synergy,
interdependence, and interrelations between various subsystems.
Employees are one of the most important components of a company. Other
elements crucial to the success of a business are departments, workgroups, and
business units. In practice, managers are required to evaluate patterns and
events in their companies so as to determine the best management approach.
This way, they are able to collaborate on different programs so that they can
work as a collective whole rather than as isolated units.

Contingency Management Theory:

The main concept behind the contingency management theory is that no one
management approach suits every organization. There are several external and
internal factors that will ultimately affect the chosen management approach. The
contingency theory identifies three variables that are likely to influence an
organization’s structure: the size of an organization, technology being employed,
and style of leadership.
Fred Fiedler is the theorist behind the contingency management theory. Fiedler
proposed that the traits of a leader were directly related to how effectively he
led. According to Fiedler’s theory, there’s a set of leadership traits handy for
every kind of situation. It means that a leader must be flexible enough to adapt
to the changing environment. The contingency management theory can be
summed up as follows:
There is no one specific technique for managing an organization.
A leader should be quick to identify the particular management style suitable for
a particular situation.
The primary component of Fiedler’s contingency theory is LPC – the least
preferred co-worker scale. LPC is used to assess how well oriented a manager is.

Theory X and Theory Y:

you believe that every individual gets maximum satisfaction from the work they
do? Or are you of the opinion that some view work as a burden and only do it for
the money? Such assumptions influence how an organization is run. The
assumptions also form the basis of Theory X and Theory Y.
Douglas McGregor is the theorist credited with developing these two contrasting
concepts. More specifically, these theories refer to two management styles: the
authoritarian (Theory X) and participative (Theory Y).
In an organization where team members show little passion for their work,
leaders are likely to employ the authoritarian style of management. But if
employees demonstrate a willingness to learn and are enthusiastic about what
they do, their leader is likely to use participative management. The management
style that a manager adopts will influence just how well he can keep his team
members motivated.
Theory X holds a pessimistic view of employees in the sense that they cannot
work in the absence of incentives. Theory Y, on the other hand, holds an
optimistic opinion of employees. The latter theory proposes that employees and
managers can achieve a collaborative and trust-based relationship.
Still, there are a couple of instances where Theory X can be applied. For instance,
large corporations that hire thousands of employees for routine work may find
adopting this form of management ideal.
I’m the manager of two youth programs one for pre-delinquent youth and the
other is a detention alternative program. I utilize all of the management theories
in some form, shape, or fashion. Even though the classic theory of management
may seem outdated due to other management theories coming along I still find
at times that I have to find the one best way to perform a task. An issue that I
constantly have in the pre-delinquent program is parents not showing up to their
scheduled intake appointments.

Question 3:
Explain the purpose and qualities of effective
supervision and highlight the difference between
administration and supervision.
Answer:
Purpose of Supervision:
Supervision is direction, guidance and control of working force with a view to see
that they are working according to plan and are keeping time schedule. Further,
they are getting all possible help in accomplishing their assigned work.
According to the Toft Hartley Act, 1947 (USA), ‘Supervisors are those having
authority to exercise independent judgement in hiring, discharging, disciplining,
rewarding and taking other actions of a similar nature with respect to
employees’.
Different educationalists have put forward different views regarding the purpose
Of supervision. These may be be broadly summarized as following:
1.To set up suitable goals for the educational institutions.
2.To provide professional leadership to the institutions in order to improve
Their working.
3.To enlarge the teacher’s concept of the meaning of education.
4.To induce the newly appointed teachers into the school and into the
Profession.
5.To develop an understanding of the place of education in our civilization
And of the special functions of education.
6.To bring about a realization of local needs and conditions.
7.To help teachers to analyse critically their own activities.
8.To ascertain the work in which each teacher is most successful and in which
He is capable for growth.
9.To unify teachers into a team, all working intelligently and willing to
Appreciate cooperation achieve the same general goals.
10. To ascertain and bring about needed changes in the organization and
Administration that will facilitate an effective teaching.
11. To assist teachers in diagnosing pupils needs and to help in planning for
Growth and power and satisfy them.
12. To popularize the school programme, especially its success so that the
Public will be more understanding and sympathetically helpful.
13. To direct teachers towards unfamiliar sources of immediate aid and
Materials for continuing growth.
14. To share the public problems of the school so as to get suggestions for their
Rectification.
15. To protect teachers from unnecessary and unreasonable demands by the
Public on their time and energies, and to protect them from uncalled for
Criticisms.
16. To develop a professional awareness and concern for the profession.

Qualities of effective supervision:

Various attempts have been made by researchers to prepare the lists of
Professional qualities of a supervisors and administrators. It is expected by the
Supervisor to possess all conceivable attributes. It is hard to find or produce a
Supervisor possessing all the qualities and virtues and yet be a human being.
Before discussing some of the personal qualities that a supervisor for primary
Education must have, it should be stressed that these qualities are not the
product
Of seniority or teaching experience in a school but these have to be consciously
Cultivated. Furthermore, these qualities are not fixed but can be reinforced or
Modified by study and practice.
According to swearingen (41:83-86) essential personal qualities of a supervisor,
“which can be nurtured intentionally.” Are under:
a) Approachability:
As supervisor who is accessible to teachers is a friendly person. But he must
Be able to move naturally and freely from informal talk to a deeper level of
Conservation. He should encourage and welcome new ideas and try them in
Actual situations. He must also be good listener and find time to discuss with
Teachers what they want to discuss individually or in groups.
b) Perceptiveness:
A high level of awareness enables q supervisor to notice significant
Elements in a situation, in materials and in the behaviour of others, and even
In his own action. Without awareness of what is and what ought to be, the
Supervisor will be unable to help teachers work productively.
c) Aspiration and Faith:
“Aspiration, vision and faith should characterize instructional leaders.” The
Supervisor should be articulate about his aspiration and faith. Unless the
Supervisor keeps himself abreast of new knowledge and developments and
Believes in what he professes, he can neither inspire other nor face the
Unexpected challenges.
 d) Becomingness:
The Concept of continued growth is germane to supervision. Teachers,
Supervisor, Headmasters and educational administrators are all in the
Process of growing, or, what Gordon All port calls, “becoming,” constantly
Striving to become better. The supervisor must be a growing individual,
Always making keen and enthusiastic efforts to keep himself abreast of new
Knowledge, new techniques and new trends in education. Then and only
Then it may be hoped to play his role effectively and to serve as a living
Example of “becoming” process for the teachers with whom he works.
“Becomingness” also implies adaptability and flexibility in problem-solving
Situations, trusting new experiences, undertaking new experiments and
Relishing opportunities for possible growth for self and others.

Difference between Administration and Supervision:

Adams and Dickey (p.4) have rightly said that, to separate supervision and
Administration on the basis of function alone is a virtual impossibility. Some
Overlapping of supervisory and administrative functions is inevitable. As we
Know, supervisory service is particularly concerned with instruction and its
Improvement. It is directly concerned with teaching and training and with the
Factors included in and related to these process-the teachers, the pupil, the
Curriculum, the instructional materials, etc. On the other hand, administration is
Aimed at the same goals as supervision but not directly, Budget-making,
Construction of building, personal administration, and so on are all intended to
Improve the educational programmes. Though all these activities result in more
Effective learning of the pupil, it cannot be achieved immediately. In other words,
Administrative functions are concerned with material facilities, whereas
Supervisory services are concerned with improving of the learning or academic
Situation.
Administration must see that continuous improvement of the instructional
Programme by supervisory service is accomplished. Administration, therefore
Creates an organization for supervision which, employ, assign, direct and
Supervises the supervisors. Otto (p.28) has apthy said, “all of this means that
Supervision is an arm of administration and that the total organization for the
school system as a whole.”
Hence there must be cordial and intimate working relationship between
Administration and supervision. Though administration and supervision are
related.
In so many important ways. It is not difficult of differentiate the process of
Supervision from the process of administration. The latter in its roles of policy
Formation, decision-making, direction and control may not always have the
Teaching learning elements. Sears (p.12) in distinguishing between administration
And supervision makes it crystal clear that supervision is mainly an academic or
Teaching function. Modern supervision has its essential functions of promoting
And guiding teaching learning situations. The dynamics of supervision should be
Consistent with good teaching process, i.e., growth and development of the
Learner. On the whole, supervisory services essentially and basically are aimed at
Promoting and, facilitating improvement of instruction, which is the goal of
School programme.

Question 4:
Differentiate the process of plan formation and
project planning and give suggestion for improving
the planning process.
Answer:
Process of plan Formation:
Broad Objectives and Targets Setting: The initial step in plan
formulation is that of determining broad objectives and targets. The
socio-economic objectives, Thus, determined, indicate the direction in
which the economy is planned to move.
The various objectives which a plan normally claims to achieve include:
increase In per capita income, high level of employment, increase in
national income, price
Stability, rapid industrialization, removal of inequalities, equilibrium in
the Balance of payments, removal of regional disparities, diversification
of the Economy, and the provision of social services (or basic needs)
such as health, Education, housing water and sanitation. Not always are
these entire objectives Consistent. Some of these may be mutually
exclusive. The basic idea of planning Is to achieve these objectives with
an optimum degree of consistency.
The identification of broad goals and objectives in plan is followed by
the spelling Out of general physical targets for the various sectors of
the economy. This Ultimately becomes the basis for determining the
shape and size of annual plans.
Survey Current Economic Conditions: The next step is to take stock of
existing Conditions in the context of plan perspective. Such a survey
enables the Identification of areas where more concentrated efforts
are needed for the overall Growth of the economy.
Strategy: The setting of broad goals and objectives/targets and the
review of Current economic conditions help in identifying the strategy
to be adopted to Ensure the successful implementation of a plan. Thus,
the strategy refers to the Specific method or methods to achieve the
plan objectives and targets. It also Reveals the crucial areas, ‘which if
not properly tackled as envisaged in a plan, May lead to its failure. For
instance, one of the strategies of the Fifth Five Year Plan is the need to
focus on rapid development of agriculture based on an efficient
Utilization of resources in terms of (a) land, manpower and water
resources, of (b) Expanded and more intensive use of modern inputs,
and of © the creation of Permanent institutions in this vital sector of
the economy.
Determination of Plan Size: Once the broad objectives targets and
strategy have Been identified, the next step is to fix the size of a plan
so as to arrive at the total Investment outlay. For this purpose, planners
use the capital – output ratio or the Capital coefficient as a tool. This
ratio determines the capital needed to achieve a Given unit of increase
in the national income. For instance, if the capital-output Ratio is 4:1, it
will show that an investment of Rs. 4 will result in an additional Income
of Rs. 1.
Process of Project Planning:
One of the basic objectives of development planning is to make
prudent use of Available scarce resources to raise the standard of living
of the common man. And To obtain this objective it is essential that
projects are prepared meticulously. This Avoids the wastage of
resources and helps scheduled implementation of projects.
Thus, extreme care has to be taken at the stage of project formulation
so that the Viability of a project from different angles (financial,
economic, social, formulation Commercial, managerial etc.) may be
determined. The project formulator should, Therefore, ensure that the
project prepared by him;
i) is the best alternative to tackle a certain problem in the
presence of a number of constraints;

ii) involves least use of resources;

iii) is sound from financial, economic, technical, commercial and
managerial view points; and
iv) has certain flexibility to adjust to any change which may take
place during its implementation phase.
In the paragraphs to follow, different essential features of a
 project (which should Be taken care of while preparing a
project) have been thoroughly discussed.
I)
Introduction: In the first instance, a project may contain a
brief Introductory note/write-up indicating its scope,
importance and the Weightage of the Education sector in
the development plan being followed Currently. There
might be some identical projects having been
implemented Previously. Problems faced in such projects
should be highlighted and Possible solutions may be suggested.
ii)
Background: A brief reference to plans and policies of the government
in Respect of the Education sector may be made. The idea here is to see
as to How far the project is going to be an effective instrument to
achieve the Sectoral objectives and targets. There may be a situation
when a pilot project Is initiated before implementation of the actual
project. Such details need to Be given.
iii)
The Project Area: The area where project is to operate may be
explored fully so as to establish its suitability. For this purpose,
different surveys may be undertaken to collect technical and other
data whenever necessary.
iv)
Organization and Management: For this purpose, through analysis of
Requirement (both at the implementation and the subsequent stages)
in terms Of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled manpower is essential.
Along with This, the position with regard to the availability of the
requisite manpower Also needs to be examined. Such an analysis will
reveal as to what steps are Needed to meet the project requirements in
terms of different types of Manpower.

Question 5:
Discuss the Psychological factor that affect the
class environment.
Answer:
Psychological Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior Definition: The
Psychological Factors are the factors that talk about the psychology of
an individual that drive his actions to seek satisfaction. Some of the
important Psychological Factors are: Motivation: The level of
motivation influences the buying behavior of the consumers.
Learning itself is the process of acquiring new knowledge,
understanding, skills, attitude, behavior, and preferences. It is both an
emotional and intellectual process.
A person starts learning immediately after birth, and their behavior
changes throughout their life, through direct or indirect experiences.
The continuous process of learning is often affected by the
environment in which it takes place. One’s individual situation and the
environment contain several factors that affect the learning capacity of
a person.
Learning in a healthy environment helps you acquire a deeper
understanding and sound knowledge of the subject matter. So, it is
essential to be aware of such environmental factors that hamper the
learning process of an individual, and learn to avoid negative
stimulants to increase one’s performance.
Learning has been made effortless and accessible through distance
learning that became the new normal during the global pandemic.
Students can now take their school and university classes from home
and access all the information available on their fingertips.
Students willing to learn about the environment and its effect on the
learning process can find free essays about environment. There are
numerous environment essay examples written by students on the
internet, which can be an excellent source for better understanding the
environmental stimulants.
Online learning has also facilitated professors to provide an adequate
education for students in the most straightforward ways.
Along with the emergence of online learning, the pandemic has also
drastically shifted the education system and learning process.
Although it has numerous benefits, it has caused a disbalance in the
education system. Students with gadgets and broadband have access to
study resources, and those without devices are struggling to get a
proper education.
Some other home environmental factors that affect the learning
process directly or indirectly are:
The children may be in a nuclear or joint family. In a nuclear family, the
learner may find silence with a peaceful learning environment but may
not get anyone to assist in their lessons.
However, it may be a bit noisy and messy in a joint family, but the
children can find other individuals, who can help and support their
studies and learn better. So, both family size has its pros and cons,
affecting the learning process of children accordingly.
All families have their own culture and follow their customs differently.
The culture implanted in the children during their growth shapes their
perception and cognitive capacity.
Hence, the learning process is affected by family culture, traditions,
religion, and other similar factors.
The socio-economic status of a family influences the children’s
academic inclusiveness and performance during their learning.
The social class also affects the parents’ educational expectations
towards their children and their educational participation. The higher
the status, the higher are the chances of educational opportunities
being presented to the students and vice versa.
The parents and other guardians in a family can teach many divergent
things to a child since infancy. As such, the job of parents also affects
their personality and thinking.
Parents learn many things related to their occupation and teach their
children the same.
Parents are the caregiver of their offspring and play a crucial role in
shaping the children’s personality, cognition, and behavior. They affect
the learning process of children directly.
Children inherit parents’ traits and develop other attributes from their
parents’ activities during their growth phase.
Parents are the first teachers for their babies. In such ways, the learning
is affected by parents, behavior, character, cognition level, attitude,
and personality.
Other factors
Apart from the factors above, some other factors can adversely affect
children’s learning. Factors like the luminosity of light, the intensity of
noise, and greenery around the home influence children’s focus while
learning.
For example, students find it difficult to read and focus on a dim light
and high bright light, so the light needs to be at optimum luminosity.
The surroundings can highly influence young brains, and everything
present in the learning environment has the potential to positively or
negatively affect the learner’s competence, confidence, and
understanding.
Misalignment between the resources and needs of learners cannot
facilitate the process. Instead, it demotivates the person. The
surrounding environment and family should support the learner, as it is
essential for a more in-depth focus and insight into the particular
subject matter.
Being aware of the home environment factors that affect learning,
parents, and guardians should provide a conducive learning
environment to the learner for best learning practice.
The level of motivation influences the buying behavior of
the consumers. It is very well explained by Maslow through his need
hierarchy theory comprising of basic needs, security needs, social
needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs. Usually, the basic
needs and the security needs are more pressing needs than the other
and hence, these needs become a motive that directs the consumer
behavior to seek satisfaction.
The consumer perception towards a particular product and
the brand also influences his buying decision. The perception is the
process through which the individual selects, organize and interpret the
information to draw a meaningful conclusion. Such as, Apple iPhone is
perceived as a premium brand and consumers are motivated to buy it
to get associated with the elite class of the society.
The marketers lay emphasis on managing the perceptual processes, Viz.
Selective Attention, Selective Distortion, and Selective Retention. In
selective attention, the marketer tries to gain the attention of the
customer towards his offerings. Different people have different
perceptions about the same product depending on their individual
beliefs and attitudes which give rise to selective distortion. Thus, the
marketer should try to understand the attitudes and beliefs of
individuals and design the marketing campaigns to retain the
consumers.
The individual’s learning depends on the skills, knowledge and
intention. The skills are developed through practice while the
knowledge and intention are acquired with the experience. There could
be a conditional learning or a cognitive learning.
In the conditional learning, the consumer derives learning from being
conditioned to particular stimuli, i.e. when he is exposed to the similar
situation, again and again, he develops a particular response towards it.
While in the cognitive learning the individual applies all his knowledge,
skill, attitudes, values and beliefs to find the solution of a problem and
derive satisfaction out of it.
Attitudes and Beliefs: The individuals have certain beliefs and attitudes
towards products on which their purchase decisions rests. These
attitudes and beliefs are the tendency to respond to a given product in
a particular way, and these make up the brand image that influences
the consumer buying behavior. Thus, the marketers try to understand
the attitudes and beliefs of the individuals and modify these through
several marketing campaigns.
Thus, these are some of the psychological factors that the marketer
must take into the consideration before undertaking the strategic
marketing decision.